Esha Deol reacts after Oscars' In Memoriam segment skips Dharmendra: ‘His heart has always been far too big to worry…’

Esha Deol said that for Dharmendra, life was never about recognition or status—it was about love, kindness, and the place he held in people’s hearts.

Esha Deol, the daughter of late actor Dharmendra, has reacted after he wasn't mentioned in the In Memoriam segment at the 98th Academy Awards. Speaking with Subhash K Jha for Variety India, Esha said she doesn't think "it would ever make a difference to papa." Dharmendra died in November 2025 in Mumbai.

Esha Deol reacts after Dharmendra's Oscars snub

Esha Deol is the daughter of Dharmendra and Hema Malini.

Esha said that Dharmendra's "heart has always been far too big to worry about such things". She said, "I don’t think it would ever make a difference to Papa. His heart has always been far too big to worry about such things. For him, life was never about recognition or status—it was about love, kindness, and the place he held in people’s hearts."

What did Hema Malini earlier say

Earlier speaking with HT City, actor-politician Hema Malini, Dharmendra's wife, had said, "Personally, Dharam ji never bothered about all this! The love from his fans was above everything. I thank everyone for their concern and for remembering him with such affection even now. The love and respect people have for Dharmendra means a great deal to us. Oscars should have mentioned Dharam ji's name certainly.”

Oscars 2026 and its In Memoriam segment

The late actor was, however, included in the official online list of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) alongside five other Indian film personalities -- actors Saroja Devi, Manoj Kumar, Jayasree Kabir, Kota Srinivasa Rao and documentary filmmaker S Krishnaswamy.

This is not the first time a celebrity from Indian cinema has been brushed aside at the Oscars. In 2021, the late actor Dilip Kumar wasn’t mentioned in the segment. In previous ceremonies, the In Memoriam segment has occasionally featured Indian film personalities.

At the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, cinema icons Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi were honoured in the montage, with the two stars receiving a musical tribute by Eddie Vedder. More recently, at the 93rd Academy Awards in 2021, actors Irrfan Khan and Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya were also remembered in the segment.