Manoj Desai Praises Hema Malini for Separate Prayer Meet After Dharmendra's Death

The passing of veteran actor Dharmendra at the age of 89 prompted widespread mourning and separate memorial events organized by his family. Following a private ceremony for the last rites, two prayer meetings were held. His first wife and sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol, hosted one at Taj Lands End, while his second wife, Hema Malini, organized a separate gathering at her Mumbai residence.

Manoj Desai, owner of the iconic Gaiety Galaxy theatre, has commented on the two prayer meets, explaining why he believes Hema Malini's decision was wise. Speaking with Vickey Lalwani, Desai stated, "I was not surprised that Hemaji didn’t turn up... It was good that she didn’t come. Before any controversy...she organised a separate prayer meet for him." He added that this choice preempted any potential disruptions, as "if somebody would have said something to her, the whole prayer meet would have been messed up."

Desai also reflected on Dharmendra's on-screen charisma, noting his strong chemistry with Hema Malini, as well as with other actresses like Mumtaz and Meena Kumari. He further described the large turnout at the prayer meet hosted by Sunny and Bobby Deol. "There was a huge line of cars...They performed bhajans at the prayer meet, and the whole world was there," Desai recalled, emphasizing the event's scale and the respect shown for the late actor. He shared that he spoke briefly with Sunny Deol, expressing gratitude for the invitation amidst the crowd.

Desai contrasted the event with other industry memorials he had attended, including those for Rajesh Khanna and Yash Chopra, noting that Dharmendra's prayer meet felt unprecedented in its scale and the breadth of attendees. Dharmendra passed away on November 24th after being admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai for health issues. His last rites were attended by numerous film personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan. During the finale of 'Bigg Boss 19', Salman Khan also praised the dignity and respect shown at Dharmendra's prayer meet, alongside that of Sooraj Barjatya's mother.