Dharmendra, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Arvind Vaidya were honoured with the prestigious Padma Awards on Monday, May 25, 2026, by President Droupadi Murmu, celebrating their profound and lasting impact on the arts.
Key Points
- Dharmendra was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, for his exceptional service to the arts, with his wife Hema Malini receiving it on his behalf.
- Prosenjit Chatterjee received the Padma Shri for his extensive contributions to Indian cinema, particularly Bengali films, expressing gratitude to the government and his collaborators.
- Arvind Vaidya was also felicitated with the Padma Shri, with his daughter Vandana Pathak expressing pride in her father’s 33-year career and over 200 directed plays.
Hema Malini got emotional on Monday when she received the Padma Vibhushan on behalf of her late husband, cinema icon Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24, 2025.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the prestigious award to Hema Malini at the civil investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. During the ceremony, Ahana Deol got emotional when her father Dharmendra’s name was announced. She was seated next to her husband, Vaibhav Vohra.
“He would have been very happy. He felt he never got recognition for his performances. But he also felt the love of millions of fans was recognition enough,” Hema Malini told Subhash K Jha after the ceremony.
Dharmendra’s Enduring Legacy
‘An euphoric moment! A moment when I actually felt my husband Dharamji‘s warm presence, holding my hand and guiding me to the dais where his Padma Vibhushan award awaited him,’ Hema shared her experience on social media.
‘Yesterday at the serene Padma award function, as Her Excellency the President personally handed out the prestigious awards to the deserving achievers, I sat representing Dharamji and felt an immense pride rise within me.
‘Memories of the years spent with him, first as a costar in so many hit movies and later as his life partner. Tears welled up as these thoughts were stirred within me. He had been a loving and caring husband, an affectionate father and a grand father, well meaning friend, true philosopher, trusted guide.
‘Dharamji exemplified all these noble qualities and much more. He was a generous, giving, good human being recognised and loved by all who knew him.
‘I accepted the award with all humility on behalf of our entire family, millions of his fans and well-wishers. I thank the Almighty for having given me a wonderful soul mate, memories of whom I will cherish till the end of my life. These are my genuine outpourings, overwhelmed by the moment of receiving the nation’s second most prestigious award, the Padma Vibhushan, on behalf of Dharamji.’
The Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, was conferred on Dharmendra for his exceptional and distinguished service to the arts.
Prosenjit Chatterjee Honoured with Padma Shri
Prosenjit Chatterjee was conferred with the Padma Shri on Monday.
Honoured for his immense contribution to Indian cinema, particularly Bengali films, Prosenjit received one of the country’s highest civilian awards amid loud applause.
Prosenjit has worked in over 200 films over three decades in Bengali movies like Chotto Jigyasa, Amar Sangi, Chokher Bali, Shob Charitro Kalponik, Moner Manush, Jaatishwar, Baishe Srabon, Shankhachil, Autograph and others.
The actor has also worked in Hindi films like Shanghai, Traffic, and Maalik, as well as in OTT series such as Jubilee and Khakee: The Bengal Chapter. The actor was recently seen in the film Vijaynagar’er Hirey, which released earlier this year.
Arvind Vaidya Receives Padma Shri
Veteran actor Arvind Vaidya was presented the Padma Shri on Monday.
With a career spanning 33 years, Arvind Vaidya has directed over 200 plays and remains an important figure in Indian cinema.
The other icons of cinema
Mammootty and Alka Yagnik were also bestowed the Padma Bhushan, but they could not attend the ceremony.
Dhurandhar actor R Madhavan, who had won a National Award for Rocketry: The Nambi Effect in 2023, received A Padma Shri but could not attend.
Satish Shah was posthumously honoured with the Padma Shri.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff