Dharmendra left out of Oscars 'In Memoriam' segment
What's the story
The 98th Academy Awards, held in Los Angeles on Sunday (Monday morning IST), paid tribute to late film business legends but notably missed out on Indian cinema's iconic actor Dharmendra. The "In Memoriam" segment, part of the live ceremony, typically honors actors, directors, technicians, and other film industry members worldwide. Despite his absence from the Oscars memorial featurette, Dharmendra was honored in the same segment at the 2026 BAFTA Awards earlier this year.
Tribute on website
The 'Sholay' actor was mentioned on the Oscars website
While the televised ceremony didn't include the Sholay actor, the Academy paid tribute to him on its website in the In Memoriam section. Other notable Indian personalities, including Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar, South Indian actor B Saroja Devi, and legendary Telugu actor Kota Srinivasa Rao, were also listed on the website.
Fan reaction
Fans upset over Oscars snubbing Dharmendra
Fans have expressed their disappointment over the Oscars not paying tribute to Dharmendra. Notably, even Hollywood figures like James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Robert Carradine, and June Lockhart were absent from the televised tribute. These artists were also mentioned on the Academy's website. Meanwhile, Dharmendra was included in the BAFTA Awards featurette in February. He was the only Indian actor featured, despite other notable Indian actors like Kumar, Asrani, and Satish Shah passing away last year.
Career highlights
More about Dharmendra's illustrious career
Dharmendra, who passed away at 89 on November 24, 2025, is one of the most celebrated actors in Indian cinema. He has appeared in numerous classic films over his four-decade-long career including Bandini (1963), Haqeeqat (1964), Anupama (1966), Satyakam (1969), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Guddi (1971), and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972). His last film was Ikkis which released weeks after his demise in late 2025.
India at Oscars
Priyanka Chopra presented award at Oscars
India was represented at the 98th Academy Awards as Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandhbhir became the first woman to be nominated in both Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short categories. Her films The Perfect Neighbor and The Devil Is Busy were nominated, respectively. Additionally, Indian actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas presented an award during the ceremony.