Veteran actress and former Member of Parliament Hema Malini is expected to receive the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, on behalf of her late husband Dharmendra at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Sunday, 25 May 2026. The award, announced on the eve of Republic Day in January 2026 as part of the annual Padma Awards list, recognises the legendary actor’s exceptional and distinguished contribution to the field of Indian cinema over a career spanning more than six decades.

Dharmendra, born Dharam Singh Deol on 8 December 1935 in Sahnewal, Punjab, passed away on 24 November 2025 at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy that encompasses over 300 films, countless iconic performances and an enduring place in the hearts of Indian movie audiences. His death was mourned across the country, with tributes pouring in from politicians, fellow actors, cricketers and fans who grew up watching the man affectionately known as “He-Man” and “Garam Dharam” dominate the Hindi film screen.

A Career That Defined an Era of Hindi Cinema

Dharmendra’s journey from a small Punjab village to the pinnacle of Bollywood stardom is one of Indian cinema’s most remarkable stories. He made his film debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere and quickly established himself as one of the most versatile actors of his generation, equally convincing in romantic roles, action sequences, comedies and dramatic performances. His filmography reads like a history of Hindi cinema itself, spanning the golden age of the 1960s, the angry-young-man era of the 1970s, the masala blockbusters of the 1980s and character roles in the 2000s and beyond.

Among his most celebrated films are Sholay (1975), where his portrayal of Veeru alongside Amitabh Bachchan’s Jai created one of the most iconic buddy partnerships in world cinema. The film’s dialogue, action sequences and Dharmendra’s magnetic screen presence helped make Sholay the highest-grossing Indian film of its time, a record it held for years. Other landmark performances include Satyakam (1969), Chupke Chupke (1975), Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973), and the Deol family franchise Apne (2007).

What set Dharmendra apart from his contemporaries was his ability to combine physical charisma with genuine emotional depth. While he was undeniably a screen heartthrob — winning the Filmfare Award for Best Actor multiple times and being consistently ranked among Hindi cinema’s most handsome leading men — his performances in films like Satyakam and Bandini demonstrated a sensitivity and range that belied his action-hero image.

Hema Malini’s Emotional Response to the Honour

Hema Malini, who was married to Dharmendra for over four decades and co-starred with him in numerous hit films including Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta and Dream Girl, expressed deep pride and bittersweet emotion when the Padma Vibhushan was announced in January. Speaking to media, she said, “It makes us very happy, the entire country is happy. Had it come earlier, Dharmendra ji would have been extremely happy, and seeing him, his fans would have been even happier.”

In a subsequent statement, Hema Malini added, “So so proud that the government has recognised Dharam ji’s immense contribution to the film industry by bestowing on him the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award.” She also thanked the central government for acknowledging his legacy, noting that the honour had been a long time coming and reflected the magnitude of Dharmendra’s impact on Indian popular culture.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan ceremony will be attended by other Padma awardees for 2026 and is expected to draw significant media attention given the emotional significance of the posthumous recognition. Members of the Deol family, including sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, both established actors in their own right, are expected to be present at the ceremony alongside Hema Malini.

The Padma Vibhushan and Its Significance

The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian honour in India, ranking below only the Bharat Ratna. It is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service in any field, including arts, education, industry, literature, science, sports, medicine, social service and public affairs. The award carries no monetary grant but includes a certificate signed by the President and a medallion that is typically presented at a formal investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Dharmendra joins a distinguished list of Indian cinema personalities who have been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, including Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Lata Mangeshkar, Dilip Kumar and Rajinikanth. The posthumous nature of the award has drawn some commentary about whether India does enough to honour its cultural icons during their lifetimes, a debate that has recurred with similar posthumous recognitions in the past.

Legacy Beyond the Screen

Dharmendra’s influence extended well beyond his film career. He served as a Member of Parliament from the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan, winning the 2004 Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket. While his political career was relatively brief, his entry into politics reflected the enormous public goodwill and name recognition that his decades of screen work had generated.

His personal life, particularly his marriages to Prakash Kaur and later to Hema Malini, was a subject of intense public fascination throughout his career. Despite the controversies that inevitably accompanied his high-profile personal choices, Dharmendra maintained a dignified public persona and was widely respected by industry colleagues for his professionalism, generosity and genuine passion for cinema.

The Deol family dynasty that he established continues to be a significant force in Bollywood. Sunny Deol’s career included blockbusters like Gadar and Border, while Bobby Deol has experienced a remarkable career renaissance in recent years through critically acclaimed performances in both Hindi and South Indian cinema. The next generation of Deols, including Karan Deol and Rajveer Deol, are also making their mark in the industry, ensuring that Dharmendra’s cinematic legacy will endure through his descendants.

As Hema Malini prepares to accept the Padma Vibhushan at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the ceremony will serve as a moment of national remembrance for an actor who entertained, inspired and moved millions of Indians across multiple generations. The honour, though arriving after Dharmendra’s passing, is a fitting recognition of a life lived in service of the art that he loved.

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According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film’s worldwide gross stands at approximately Rs 1,350 crore, with overseas territories contributing nearly 25 per cent of total earnings — the third-highest overseas share for any Indian 1,000-crore grosser after Jawan and Kalki 2898 AD. The film has also surpassed the lifetime collections of its predecessor, Dhurandhar, which released in December 2025 and itself earned over Rs 700 crore worldwide.

Box Office Milestones and Records

Dhurandhar 2 achieved several firsts during its run. It recorded a 100-crore single day on day 11 — a feat managed by only three Indian films in history. The sequel has overtaken KGF Chapter 2 and RRR in lifetime collections, leaving only Pushpa 2 (Rs 1,742 crore worldwide) and Baahubali 2 (Rs 1,810 crore worldwide) ahead of it.

The film’s Hindi-language earnings of Rs 819 crore net make it the highest-grossing Hindi film ever, surpassing Jawan’s Rs 640 crore net. Industry analysts note that Dhurandhar 2 has benefited from minimal competition during its run and strong word-of-mouth, particularly among the 18 to 35 male demographic that drives theatrical footfall in India.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh called the performance “a textbook case of franchise building done right” and noted that the sequel opened 40 per cent higher than the original, defying the conventional wisdom that Bollywood sequels face diminishing returns. The film’s success has major implications for the growing trend of franchise films in Bollywood.

Why Dhurandhar 2 Worked

The film’s success can be attributed to multiple factors. Ranveer Singh’s action-heavy performance, combined with strong supporting turns from Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal, gave the film mass appeal across demographics. Director Aditya Dhar, who previously helmed the critically acclaimed Uri: The Surgical Strike, delivered a tighter narrative that addressed the first film’s pacing criticisms while raising the scale of action set pieces.

Multiplex occupancy rates averaged above 75 per cent through the first two weeks, with single screens in North India reporting near-100 per cent housefull shows well into the third week. The film also recorded strong numbers in the premium formats — IMAX, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema screens contributed an estimated Rs 120 crore to the total.

Crucially, Dhurandhar 2 held its audience even as the April 2026 OTT lineup offered major competing titles on streaming platforms. This theatrical resilience mirrors global trends, where franchise films increasingly dominate cinema halls even as streaming grows — a dynamic that has reshaped India’s entertainment industry.

Impact on Bollywood and What Comes Next

Bollywood’s 2026 box office is now tracking 35 per cent ahead of 2025 at this point in the year, thanks largely to Dhurandhar 2, Border 2 (Rs 306 crore net), and The Kerala Story 2 (Rs 40 crore net). The overall India box office crossed Rs 2,700 crore net in Q1 2026 across all languages, a strong start that has boosted investor confidence in theatrical exhibition.

PVR INOX, India’s largest multiplex chain, reported its highest-ever quarterly revenue in Q4 FY2026, with Dhurandhar 2 single-handedly driving a 22 per cent increase in admits over the previous quarter. Shares of PVR INOX rallied 18 per cent in March on the back of the film’s performance.

With no major Hindi release competing this week, Dhurandhar 2 is expected to maintain its dominance and could end its theatrical run near the Rs 900 crore India net mark, placing it within striking distance of Pushpa 2’s Hindi-language record. Top Bollywood celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt have publicly congratulated the team, calling it “a new chapter for Hindi cinema.”

Dhurandhar 3 has not been officially announced, but trade sources suggest pre-production discussions are underway, with a potential 2028 release window being explored.

Source: Cinema Express

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Sitaare Zameen Par: Aamir Khan Returns to Streaming

Directed by R.S. Prasanna, Sitaare Zameen Par is a spiritual successor to Aamir Khan’s 2007 hit Taare Zameen Par and an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film Champions. The story follows Gulshan Arora (played by Khan), a basketball coach whose life takes an unexpected turn after a drunk-driving incident lands him in community service. As part of his sentence, he must train a team of neurodivergent players for a basketball tournament.

The film, which also stars Genelia Deshmukh, earned largely positive reviews during its theatrical run. Critics praised Khan’s commitment to the role. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, noting that “Khan effortlessly slips into the character of a temperamental man.” The Indian Express also awarded 3.5 stars, calling it a wholesome, feel-good watch. Its Netflix debut is expected to draw strong viewership from family audiences.

Happy Patel and Vadh 2 Add Genre Variety

Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, which debuted on Netflix on 1 April, marked the return of actor Imran Khan to the screen after a decade-long absence. Directed by Vir Das and Kavi Shastri, the spy action comedy follows a clumsy British spy who discovers he was born in India and embarks on a mission to Goa, stumbling into a dangerous criminal rivalry. The cast includes Vir Das, Mithila Palkar, Mona Singh, and Sharib Hashmi.

Later this month, Vadh 2 will arrive on OTT platforms. The sequel to the critically acclaimed original stars Neena Gupta, Sanjay Mishra, and Kumud Mishra. Directed by Jaspal Singh Sandhu, the follow-up explores darker territory than its predecessor. The first Vadh was praised for its understated performances and tight plotting. The sequel adds Yogita Bihani in a pivotal role.

Regional Titles and International Content Round Out April

The month’s OTT slate extends well beyond Hindi cinema. Several Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films are scheduled for digital premieres across platforms. This trend reflects the broader shift in India’s streaming landscape, where regional content has become a decisive battleground in the fight for subscribers. JioStar and Netflix are both investing heavily in non-Hindi programming, while Amazon Prime Video continues to acquire theatrical hits for post-release digital windows.

The packed April calendar follows a strong March for OTT platforms in India. Industry analysts estimate that India’s streaming audience now exceeds 500 million monthly users. The growing volume of direct-to-digital releases, combined with faster theatrical-to-OTT windows, is reshaping how Indian audiences discover and consume films. The Bollywood box office in 2026 has been driven by franchise films and biopics, many of which are now finding second lives on streaming platforms.

What to Watch in April 2026

For viewers looking to plan their month, the key dates are: Sitaare Zameen Par (Netflix, 3 April), Vadh 2 (platform and date to be confirmed for later in April), and Happy Patel (Netflix, available now). Additional titles including Feel My Voice, Tu Yaa Main, and 18th Rose are also scheduled across various platforms throughout the month.

The battle between streaming platforms shows no signs of slowing down. As the Indian entertainment industry reaches new revenue milestones, OTT platforms are spending more aggressively on content. Viewers across entertainment categories can expect the competition to intensify further as the year progresses.

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Bollywood Box Office 2026: Franchise Films Lead the Charge

The numbers confirm the franchise strategy. Among the top 10 highest-grossing Hindi films of 2026 so far, seven are either sequels, prequels, or entries in established cinematic universes. Audiences are demonstrating a clear preference for films with built-in brand recognition — characters they already know, worlds they have already visited, and storytelling that rewards loyalty.

This mirrors a global trend that Hollywood has followed for over a decade, but its manifestation in Bollywood carries distinctive Indian characteristics. Franchises such as the Singham universe, now spanning multiple characters and timelines, blend the masala entertainment format with increasingly sophisticated visual effects and interconnected narratives. The commercial logic is simple: franchise entries carry lower marketing risk because audiences arrive with pre-existing awareness and emotional investment.

Independent and mid-budget films, by contrast, are finding theatrical success increasingly elusive. Several critically acclaimed films in early 2026 opened to modest collections and reached profitability only after their streaming premieres. The evolving entertainment landscape has effectively created a two-tier theatrical market: big-budget tentpoles that justify the cinema experience and everything else that audiences prefer to watch at home.

Biopics: India’s Favourite Genre Shows No Signs of Fatigue

Biographical films remain Bollywood’s most consistent genre at the box office. Indian audiences have shown an enduring appetite for stories based on real people — sports heroes, freedom fighters, business leaders, and cultural icons. In 2026, at least four major biopics have either released or are scheduled, covering subjects ranging from Olympic medallists to pioneering scientists.

The appeal is partly aspirational. India’s biopic trend draws on the country’s deep tradition of storytelling about exemplary lives, updated for a generation that wants these stories told with cinematic ambition and emotional authenticity. The genre also benefits from the built-in publicity of depicting public figures whose stories are already known, reducing the need for expensive awareness campaigns.

Critics note that the genre risks creative fatigue if studios prioritise commercial safety over artistic innovation. The best biopics of recent years — those that found both critical and commercial success — have taken creative liberties with narrative structure and visual storytelling rather than simply recounting facts in chronological order.

OTT vs Theatrical: The New Economics of Hindi Cinema

The relationship between theatrical releases and streaming platforms has evolved from competition to codependence. Every major Bollywood production now has a pre-negotiated OTT deal that guarantees a streaming window — typically four to eight weeks after theatrical release. For many films, the OTT licensing fee covers a significant portion of the production budget, reducing the financial risk of theatrical underperformance.

This safety net has changed creative and commercial calculations. Producers are more willing to greenlight ambitious projects knowing that streaming revenue provides a floor. However, it has also made some studios complacent about theatrical marketing, leading to weaker opening weekends for films that might have performed better with stronger promotional campaigns.

The data suggests that theatrical audiences are becoming more selective. Films need to offer an experience that justifies leaving home — spectacular visuals, immersive sound design, star power, or the communal excitement of watching a franchise event. As streaming platforms expand their original content libraries, the bar for theatrical viewing continues to rise.

Regional Competition Reshapes Bollywood’s National Ambitions

Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam cinema continue to challenge Hindi films for pan-Indian box office share. The success of dubbed and multilingual releases from southern industries has permanently altered the competitive landscape. In 2026, at least three Telugu-origin films have outperformed major Hindi releases at the national box office.

Bollywood’s response has been threefold. First, increased collaboration with southern talent — directors, composers, and actors who bring craft and audience appeal. Second, more Hindi films being simultaneously released in multiple Indian languages. Third, a focus on spectacle and franchise building that can compete with the visual ambition and scale that southern blockbusters have established as the industry standard.

The net effect is positive for Indian audiences, who now have access to a wider range of high-quality cinema than at any previous point. For Bollywood specifically, the competition has forced a quality upgrade that benefits the industry’s long-term creative health.

AI and Technology Transform Film Production

Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence is reshaping Bollywood’s production processes. Visual effects studios in Mumbai are using AI-assisted tools for de-aging, crowd replication, and background generation that previously required armies of manual compositors. The result is better effects at lower cost, enabling mid-budget films to achieve visual standards that were previously exclusive to blockbusters.

AI-powered dubbing technology is also accelerating the creation of multilingual releases. Companies such as Dubverse and Murf AI can now produce lip-synced dubs in multiple Indian languages within days rather than weeks, making pan-India distribution logistically and financially viable for a broader range of films. The AI technology revolution is directly impacting creative industries like cinema.

Script analysis tools powered by large language models are being used by some studios to evaluate narrative structure, audience appeal, and commercial viability at the development stage. While creative decisions ultimately remain with human filmmakers, these tools provide data-driven insights that can inform greenlighting decisions and marketing strategies.

What Lies Ahead for Bollywood

The second half of 2026 promises a packed release calendar with several high-profile franchise entries and star-driven vehicles. Diwali and Christmas windows will see intense competition for screens and audience attention. The industry’s health will be measured not just by top-line box office numbers but by whether the theatrical ecosystem can sustain a diverse range of films or becomes exclusively the domain of franchise spectacles.

For Hindi cinema, 2026 is a year of strategic adaptation. The studios that thrive will be those that understand their audience has fundamentally changed — more choice, higher standards, and less patience for mediocrity. In that environment, franchise familiarity and biographical authenticity offer commercial safety, but the industry’s creative future depends on continuing to take risks alongside the sure bets.

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