An emotional moment unfolded at a recent award ceremony in Mumbai when Bobby Deol took the stage to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of his late father, Dharmendra. Fighting back tears, Bobby admitted he had never imagined he would one day be in this position.
Bobby Deol gets emotional
On Sunday, Bobby accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of his father, Dharmendra, at the Chetak Screen Awards 2026 in Mumbai. The honour was conferred posthumously, recognising Dharmendra’s contribution to Indian cinema. The award was presented by Javed Akhtar, Ramesh Sippy, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Bobby was seen getting emotional as he accepted the honour, reflecting on the lessons he learned from his late father, Dharmendra.
“I see my father’s love in all your eyes. My father touched everyone’s hearts through his work and even through his Instagram reels, which had become his new hobby… He always wanted people to stay happy and believed that God has given all of us so much in life. He used to say that we all have a special gift within us, and if we believe in it, we can achieve anything,” Bobby said while accepting the honour.
The Animal actor also reflected on his father’s resilience and journey in the film industry, growing visibly emotional as he spoke.
Bobby shared, “That’s why he worked in this industry for so many years, he saw both good and bad times but never gave up… Wherever I go and whoever I meet, I receive so much love because my father opened people’s hearts for us – for me, my brother, and our family. People love him so much that they welcomed us into their hearts without hesitation. And today, standing here, I feel like I’ll go home and tell him, ‘Papa, you couldn’t come, so I’ve brought your award with me’. I never imagined I would be here like this, and Anant (Goenka) really wanted me here. I feel very blessed and grateful to God for making me his son. Thank you so much. Papa, you are the best.”
Before the award was presented, the ceremony honoured Dharmendra with a montage of his most iconic on-screen moments, accompanied by a voiceover from Amitabh Bachchan, who recited lines from Dharmendra’s poetry.
Dharmendra dies at 89
Dharmendra passed away on November 24 last year at his residence in Mumbai. He was 89 years old. The actor was discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital earlier in the month after a health scare, and was recuperating at home. He was cremated in Mumbai on November 25.
Dharmendra’s final film, Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan, released in theatres on January 1. His performance was widely praised by critics and audiences alike. This year, Dharmendra got the Padma Vibhushan honour, posthumously.
Earlier this year, during the 79th British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA honoured late Indian superstar Dharmendra in their In Memoriam section. However, he failed to get a mention during the 98th Academy Awards, which created quite a stir on social media. Dharmendra, along with Manoj Kumar, was honoured in the more detailed list on the Oscars’ official website.
Dharmendra is survived by his two wives. He married Prakash Kaur in 1954 and had four children with her, including Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. In 1980, he married Hema Malini, with whom he has two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol.