Hema Malini recalls Dharmendra’s painful final days: ‘He never wanted to be seen weak or sick’

It has been a week since Hindi cinema lost one of its most iconic and beloved superstars, Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24 at his Mumbai residence, just days before his 90th birthday.While the nation continues to mourn the unforgettable legend, Hema Malini has now opened up about his final days, and her words are heartbreaking.Filmmaker Hamad Al Reyami, who met the actress three days after Dharmendra’s death, has shared the deeply emotional conversation on Instagram. Hamad recalled meeting Hema Malini during the third day of condolences and described how painful the atmosphere was. “I sat with her, and in her features I could see a broken inside that she's trying so hard to hide,” he wrote. The actress fondly remembered a moment from two months earlier, saying to him, “I wish I was at the farm the same day I was with Dharminder two months ago... Hope to have seen him there.” She also shared how she always encouraged her husband to publish his poems and writings, but Dharmendra would lovingly respond, “Not now... let me finish some poems first.”Hema Malini confessed her regret that Dharmendra’s literary work never came to light while he was alive. “Now the strangers will come... They'll write about it; they'll write books... While his words have not seen light,” she said bitterly. She expressed sadness that fans didn’t get one last chance to see him, yet revealed the reason behind that decision: “Dharminder, throughout his life, never wanted to be seen as weak or sick. He was hiding his pain even from the closest people. After the person leaves, the decision remains in the hands of the family.”According to Hamad, the most piercing moment came when Hema Malini recalled the immense suffering Dharmendra endured in his final days. She told him with overwhelming pain, “But what happened was mercy... Because, Hamad, you couldn’t bear to see him like that. His final days were cruel... hurtful... And even we can barely bear to see it like that,”. She later agreed to a photograph with Hamad, with warmth and kindness that instantly reminded him of Dharmendra himself.The memory of “My forever hero… Dharmendra,” as Hamad described him, continues to echo through countless hearts, and his performances will be cherished forever.