Showing posts with label Padma Vibhushan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Padma Vibhushan. Show all posts
Knowing my father, awards were never his measure of success-Esha Deol
3:02 PM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; June 8, 2026)
For Esha Deol, the past few months have been a mix of pride and grief. Recently, the actress shared an emotional note after her mother, Hema Malini, accepted the Padma Vibhushan on behalf of her father, Dharmendra, who passed away last November.
The moment, she says, brought back memories and a deep sense of longing. “I expressed my emotions because some moments deserve to be felt and shared. What I felt that day wasn’t just mine – it was something our family, his fans, and so many people who love him were feeling,” Esha says.
‘Seeing my mother accept the award on my father’s behalf was very emotional’
Reflecting on Dharmendra receiving the award, Esha says, “Yes, I believe he deserved this honour much earlier. He deserved many more, too – that’s what we feel. But honestly, knowing my father, awards were never his measure of success. The love and respect he received from people was always his greatest achievement.”
Recalling the ceremony, she says, “Seeing my mother accept the award on his behalf was deeply emotional. There was pride, gratitude and, of course, a wish that he could have been there himself.”
‘I miss him every single day’
Asked about her fondest memory of her father, Esha says choosing one is impossible. “Every phase of my life has had his presence in it. It’s very difficult to pick just one. It’s a lifetime. It’s 44 years of a daughter looking up to that one man, her father. Just to be able to hold his hand, hear his voice – I miss everything about him every single day, and I always will,” she says.
Remembering the nickname she had for him, Esha says, “I always called him my Teddy Bear, and today my bed is filled with teddy bears because it just reminds me of him. The loss never really leaves. You just learn to carry it. I carry him in my heart, and I carry his strength with me wherever I am now.”
Growing up as Hema Malini and Dharmendra’s daughter
Esha says being born to two of Indian cinema’s biggest stars has always felt like a blessing rather than it being a pressure on her career. “I always say I am blessed to be born to such beautiful human beings. My parents are one of a kind and irreplaceable. There can never be another Dharmendra or Hema Malini. I’m proud to be called Hema Malini aur Dharmendra ki beti – that’s the best identity I could have had, and I am grateful for it,” she says.
As a mother to daughters Radhya and Miraya, Esha hopes to pass on the values that she imbibed from her parents. “My kids see the love and respect I have for my parents, and that’s how they learn – to be humble, show respect and be kind,” she says.
‘Today there are better roles for actors across age groups’
For Esha, who will next be seen in the horror-comedy Ghunghat, motherhood has reshaped her priorities, making her more selective about the projects she chooses.
She believes, “As a mother, it’s natural that your priorities change. I want to be present for our children and be actively involved in raising them.”
She acknowledges that the roles coming her way today are different from those she was offered earlier in her career.
“I wouldn’t want to play a teenager in love today, I’m already done with that phase of my career. If I connect with a character and the project excites me, I’m happy to say yes. Today, there are far more interesting and meaningful roles available for actors across age groups, which is wonderful to see,” she shares.
‘Bharat and I are a team when it comes to co-parenting’
Speaking about life after her separation from Bharat Takhtani, Esha says parenting remains a joint effort.
“I would say that while I am single, I don’t see myself as a single mom. By the grace of God, Bharat and I are very much a team when it comes to co-parenting our daughters. We are a family, and our children will always come first. To give them love and affection and be the strong pillars of support for them, that’s something we are deeply committed to,” she explains.
Wish Dharmendra got Padma Vibhushan honour earlier-Hema Malini
9:57 AM
As the late veteran gets conferred a Padma Vibhushan posthumously, his wife Hema Malini speaks about his legacy and impact
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 28, 2026)
Legendary actor Dharmendra’s loss continues to be felt by the film industry. Now, his towering contribution to Indian cinema has been recognised by the Government of India with a posthumous Padma Vibhushan honour.
“This makes me feel so proud of him. He has contributed so much to the film industry, as an actor and as a human being. He would always help people; that was extraordinary. He truly deserves this,” says his wife, actor-politician Hema Malini, with both pride and poignancy ringing in her voice.
However, in the same breath comes a wistful wish, “He deserved it much earlier. I wish they had given it when he was here to receive it in person. I don’t know how we are going to send this message to him. Still, it is a great honour,” she adds.
Recalling Dharmendra’s range and generosity, she shares, “Whether it was comedy or action, he fit into everything. Nowadays, actors hesitate before working with someone who isn’t good enough, but Dharam ji wouldn’t have bothered about whether his friends were financially sound. He would just help them. He deserves this.”
After becoming a father, it feels like something inside me, like a software inside me has rebooted-Ram Charan
10:27 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; June 16, 2024)
He roars on the big screen, and triumphs at the box office. He’s witnessed the glory of the Oscars with RRR, which catapulted him into a pan-India star. But the role that Ram Charan is revelling in the most now, is playing daddy to his baby girl, Klin Kaara Konidela, who turns one soon. He rarely sits down for an interview, but on his first Father's Day, we had the superstar gushing about his li’l girl and admitting that he’s “addicted” to her in an exclusive conversation with us. Of course, the chat wouldn’t be complete without the mention of his own role model, his father and superstar, Chiranjeevi. Here’s to superstars playing super dads in their real-life roles. Read on…
This is your first Father’s Day, how does it feel? Have you settled into this new phase of fatherhood?
During the first six months, I felt nothing, except a sense of responsibility and the fact that a new member of the family had joined us. I was amazed at the bond that a mother and child share and I just could not replicate that. Then I spoke to a friend of mine who is also a senior parent, and he told me that it happens and it’s normal to feel that way and that he didn’t feel that kind of connect with his second child until nearly a year after her birth. Now that Klin is interacting and recognizing people, she misses me when I am not at home…the whole ball game changed. I feel left out when I am not around her, so I don’t feel like going out.
So, I assume that you plan your work schedules around her routine?
Yes, for the next couple of years, I will plan my schedules around her, at least till the time she starts school. I don’t want to miss a single moment with Klin. I have worked hard for 15 years, and now I want to be back home by 6 pm. I tell my producers that this is how it is going to be. When I see her, my heart lights up. I just don’t feel like going to work. I don’t even let her go for a shower in the morning. I’m like, what, babies don’t need a shower! I’m that addicted to her.
What’s your favourite activity with her?
I feed Klin at least twice a day, I love doing that. I do my readings with her, too. Upasana (wife) is a fantastic parent, but when it comes to feeding her, no one can beat me. I can get her to finish the whole bowl of food, I have some superpower when it comes to this.
Your superstar father, Chiranjeevi, is such a loving father. How is he as a grandfather?
When he’s with Klin, he becomes like her older sibling. He lets her hit him, punch him… it’s really cute to see that side of my father. He says, “Don’t call me grandfather, it’s so boring, call me Chirutha.” In Telugu, Tha (Thatha) means grandfather, and he adds Chiru to it. Chirutha also means Cheetah in our language. Just seeing my parents enjoy their time with Klin fills me with joy. You know it’s been a 10-year-long wait for Upasana and me, so we are all so happy. Klin has brought so much of luck into our lives.
At one point, raising a child was believed to be a woman/mom’s domain, but that mindset is changing. Today, dads are very involved, they want to take paternity leave and participate equally in most aspects. Do you see that change around you?
I feel a lot of change has come about now with exposure and awareness. In the early years of a child’s life, it is crucial to provide them with a sense of security, where they feel cared for and not neglected. These are the foundation years, if we don’t focus on this now, later, this can turn into attention-seeking habits. So, I take her to play school, go to swimming classes with her, and take her to my readings so that we are part of each other’s routine.
Which is the one trait of your father that you admire the most and want to imbibe?
It’s the way my father communicates and expresses himself. Ask anyone in the family and they will tell you that the number one quality of Mr Chiranjeevi is his communication and sense of appreciation for any kind of job well done. He would tell me, ‘In my growing up days as a struggling actor, I used to wait for people to appreciate me and say, Hey, Chiru, you did a good job.’ So, when he thinks someone deserves appreciation, he goes ahead and expresses it. Sometimes, at parties, my actor friends come up to me and tell me, ‘Hey Ram, your dad called me.’ I don’t even know he’s done that. He takes time out to reach out to my friends, whether it is Mahesh Babu or NTR Jr, to show them his appreciation for their work.
Chiranjeevi was recently awarded the Padma Vibhushan. In his thank you speech, he said, “I’ve done so little and yet, you have given me this great recognition and honour.” Would you say that apart from his talent, what makes him a superstar is his humility and how grounded he has always stayed?
What he said is true. He didn’t say it so because it’s the right thing to say. He truly believes in what he said, and I can see it in the way he lives his life. He still wakes up at 5 am and competes with me in the gym. He doesn’t do it because he’s an actor, he does it for himself, to stay fit and healthy. He’s meeting more directors. He’s the busiest actor right now. He’s signed four films, and I am doing only one or two films (laughs). I don’t think my father is getting older, he’s reverse ageing.
So, Klin is growing up amongst so many role models on both sides of the family.
Absolutely! Personally, I feel that if she explores her mother’s side, it will be great because we have so many actors on my side, we are so confused with so many releases in a year, and we are all fighting for release dates. Now I don’t want to fight with my daughter in this space (laughs).”
Has fatherhood made you look inwards? Made you want to better yourself in various aspects?
I think that’s what children do to us. At first, it is our parents who tell us how to be. And then, it’s our children who guide us in a certain way. The last one year has been a very interesting phase for me – from becoming more responsible, not just in my career and with regards to earning more for my family, but overall, as a person. I think my mind and body are functioning differently. After becoming a father, it feels like something inside me, like a software inside me has rebooted.
Do you ever feel the pressure of taking your father, Chiranjeevi’s legacy forward?
The good or bad part about me is that I don’t know how to take pressure. In fact, when a movie hasn’t done well, I have had a party. And when RRR became a success, I remember that for one week, I didn’t come out of the house. I was relieved, relaxed and just enjoyed family time. So, with me, it’s a contrast. In the same way, when I see someone like my father in the house, I don’t know how to react to it. I believe what I am doing today and right now is what is important. I think I do what is right as a son, father, brother…for that day. And if I can achieve it every day, I think I will achieve it in the years ahead.
---------------------------------------------
‘My father is my inspiration and a living role model’
Talking about what he truly admires about his father, Ram says, “My father’s communication skills, dedication towards his work and his discipline are exemplary. He tells me, ‘I don’t care how successful you are, Ram, you have to take care of your dedicated staff around you. Secondly, however big or old you are, make sure you are disciplined, because even on your bad days, your discipline will see you through.’ He’s my inspiration and a living role model. It is difficult to live with a man like that (laughs).”
Clichéd terms like ‘women empowerment’ have worn away their substance-Amitabh Bachchan
9:16 AM
Amitabh Bachchan talks about his relationship with daughter Shweta
and how he feels happy to see an increasing number of women-oriented
films hitting the marquee
Shubha Shetty-Saha (MID-DAY; May 4, 2015)
Films have rarely explored the deep bond between a father and a daughter. Piku promises to. How would you describe this onscreen bond between you and Deepika Padukone? Did that in any way remind you of your daughter Shweta’s relationship with you?
I would tend to agree with you. The bond between a father and daughter has perhaps limited itself, in our films, to that moment of ‘judaai’ at the marriage, or at the time of proposals of marriage from either side. The acceptance and the rejection have been formatted ad infinitum. But Piku is a departure, at best. The basics remain, as they should, but the operation is filled with large doses of maturity, understanding and acceptance. On-screen Deepika as in Deepika the performer is a revelation to most of the film world now. Her rapid strides in the improved texture of her performances have surprised many. As a colleague, I can only admire her and wish her to continue her search for excellence in the years to come. Off screen she is lovable, endearing and as much a professional as professionals ought to be.
They say, after a point the daughter becomes the mother. How would you describe your changing equation with Shweta now that she’s all grown up and a mother herself? Do you get along better now?
An honest answer to this question would harbour a certain realm of the private and personal. I would desist from going there. But yes, daughters do embellish motherhood from an early age. They are born such. In Bengali homes and in society too, the word ‘maa’ is omnipresent. Now whether it comes from Durga or Kali, two of the more important goddesses of worship in the region, one is not qualified enough to comment, but there we are. Ay maa, maa, maago are terms often heard in Bengali conversational expressions. In other regional languages, too, the importance of mother is always there — maa kasam, or in Marathi, aie chi shapath, are commonly known to all. From an early age, daughters get accustomed to run the house, mind the kitchen and so on. That has gone through a sea change in the present times. Daughters now multi-task. They work for a living and they mind home, and they are proficient in both. Piku, the character in the film, is that modern daughter. She works, she looks after her father, she runs the kitchen and most importantly, she has opinion. An opinion that may be challenged in debate, but never rejected purely because she is a female or in any way lesser than other more male- oriented thought. Shweta and I have no reason to not ‘get along’ now or even before. It was better then, it is better now.
What do you think of a daughter’s role in a family? Do you think she binds the family together more than a son does?
In a harmonious home, both daughter and son have equal prominence and place. At least in my home they do. Children bind home and family. They are our continuity, linking the past with the present and threading it for the future. Each family desires that. They compliment legacy and I like that. Daughters bring grace, elegance and respectability. They build homes, a nest that is treasured. Sons do too, but somehow I can tell when the lady of the house is in or not.
On a different note, many congratulations once again on being conferred the Padma Vibhushan. For someone whose home and office shelves are groaning under the weight of awards, how does this one hold a special significance?
Awards are a recognition expressed by another. I am most honoured and humbled to receive the Padma Vibhushan from the government of India, and feel truly blessed. This is a national recognition and carries its own weight and presence. The ‘weight’ of my other recognitions are equally heavy. Their sentiments and their emotions mean much to me as well. I accept all with the greatest of humility.
It is heartening to see that women- oriented films are increasingly being conceptualised and made after a long gap. What do you have to say about that?
Yes, indeed. And I am happy to see that happening. Women are an integral part of our social milieu — 50 per cent of the strength of any nation and the ‘ardhangani’ — half the strength and part of the human. They are that proverbial mythical ‘rib’ that came out of Adam. Try living a life without that important bone. Their presence, importance and contributions are never to be ignored. Clichéd terms like ‘women empowerment’ have worn away their substance. Women are indeed ‘empowered’ and that is how it must be. This issue is subtly expressed in most vivid terms in Piku. The male protagonist, or call him what you may… Baba, for ease of reference, does make a comment that those that came with the earlier thinking and philosophy about women, about their subjugation, were and are ‘low IQ individuals’.
Irrfan Khan said that he always wanted to work with you. How was your experience working with him?
I have always admired Irrfan and his commendable work for a very long time. It has been an honour and a joy to have worked with him now.
Shubha Shetty-Saha (MID-DAY; May 4, 2015)
Films have rarely explored the deep bond between a father and a daughter. Piku promises to. How would you describe this onscreen bond between you and Deepika Padukone? Did that in any way remind you of your daughter Shweta’s relationship with you?
I would tend to agree with you. The bond between a father and daughter has perhaps limited itself, in our films, to that moment of ‘judaai’ at the marriage, or at the time of proposals of marriage from either side. The acceptance and the rejection have been formatted ad infinitum. But Piku is a departure, at best. The basics remain, as they should, but the operation is filled with large doses of maturity, understanding and acceptance. On-screen Deepika as in Deepika the performer is a revelation to most of the film world now. Her rapid strides in the improved texture of her performances have surprised many. As a colleague, I can only admire her and wish her to continue her search for excellence in the years to come. Off screen she is lovable, endearing and as much a professional as professionals ought to be.
They say, after a point the daughter becomes the mother. How would you describe your changing equation with Shweta now that she’s all grown up and a mother herself? Do you get along better now?
An honest answer to this question would harbour a certain realm of the private and personal. I would desist from going there. But yes, daughters do embellish motherhood from an early age. They are born such. In Bengali homes and in society too, the word ‘maa’ is omnipresent. Now whether it comes from Durga or Kali, two of the more important goddesses of worship in the region, one is not qualified enough to comment, but there we are. Ay maa, maa, maago are terms often heard in Bengali conversational expressions. In other regional languages, too, the importance of mother is always there — maa kasam, or in Marathi, aie chi shapath, are commonly known to all. From an early age, daughters get accustomed to run the house, mind the kitchen and so on. That has gone through a sea change in the present times. Daughters now multi-task. They work for a living and they mind home, and they are proficient in both. Piku, the character in the film, is that modern daughter. She works, she looks after her father, she runs the kitchen and most importantly, she has opinion. An opinion that may be challenged in debate, but never rejected purely because she is a female or in any way lesser than other more male- oriented thought. Shweta and I have no reason to not ‘get along’ now or even before. It was better then, it is better now.
What do you think of a daughter’s role in a family? Do you think she binds the family together more than a son does?
In a harmonious home, both daughter and son have equal prominence and place. At least in my home they do. Children bind home and family. They are our continuity, linking the past with the present and threading it for the future. Each family desires that. They compliment legacy and I like that. Daughters bring grace, elegance and respectability. They build homes, a nest that is treasured. Sons do too, but somehow I can tell when the lady of the house is in or not.
On a different note, many congratulations once again on being conferred the Padma Vibhushan. For someone whose home and office shelves are groaning under the weight of awards, how does this one hold a special significance?
Awards are a recognition expressed by another. I am most honoured and humbled to receive the Padma Vibhushan from the government of India, and feel truly blessed. This is a national recognition and carries its own weight and presence. The ‘weight’ of my other recognitions are equally heavy. Their sentiments and their emotions mean much to me as well. I accept all with the greatest of humility.
It is heartening to see that women- oriented films are increasingly being conceptualised and made after a long gap. What do you have to say about that?
Yes, indeed. And I am happy to see that happening. Women are an integral part of our social milieu — 50 per cent of the strength of any nation and the ‘ardhangani’ — half the strength and part of the human. They are that proverbial mythical ‘rib’ that came out of Adam. Try living a life without that important bone. Their presence, importance and contributions are never to be ignored. Clichéd terms like ‘women empowerment’ have worn away their substance. Women are indeed ‘empowered’ and that is how it must be. This issue is subtly expressed in most vivid terms in Piku. The male protagonist, or call him what you may… Baba, for ease of reference, does make a comment that those that came with the earlier thinking and philosophy about women, about their subjugation, were and are ‘low IQ individuals’.
Irrfan Khan said that he always wanted to work with you. How was your experience working with him?
I have always admired Irrfan and his commendable work for a very long time. It has been an honour and a joy to have worked with him now.
Padma awards: Rajinikanth, Rohit Shetty shortlisted but didn't make the cut
8:56 AM
MHA Officials Keep Mum On Ramdev's Case
Bharti Jain (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 26, 2015)
Baba Ramdev and Mata
Amritanandmayi, actor Rajinikanth, Bollywood directors Rajkumar Hirani
and Rohit Shetty, industrialists GVK Reddy and Shiv Nadar and veteran
vocalist Girija Devi were among the 1,897 names recommended for
Padma awards this year but did not figure in the final list announced
on January 25.
The list of persons for whom recommendations were received from one or more sources included film personality Gautam Navnitlal Adhikari, actor Sachin Pilgaonkar, music director Anu Malik, comic book creator Anant Pai, sarangi player Ustad Kamal Sabri, sarod player Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, herbal cosmetics entrepreneur Shahnaz Hussain and fashion designer Ritu Beri.
Letters endorsing the names of celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Hindi poet Ashok Vajpayi, Sanskrit poet Pandit Mithilaprasad Tripathi, singer Preeti Sagar, spiritual guru Acharya Sri Sudarshan and LGBT rights activist Ashok Row Kavi were also addressed to the Padma awards committee. Among the sports personalities whose names were placed before the awards panel but did not show up in the final list put out on Republic Day eve were snooker champion Pankaj Advani and athlete Anju Bobby George.
The home ministry will shortly make public the list of all 1,897 names recommended for the prestigious awards - Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri - this year. As has been the practice since last year, the list of persons who recommended these names will also be uploaded on the home ministry website.
Though the list of Padma recommendations, accessed exclusively by TOI, confirms that Baba Ramdev was indeed recommended and considered by the Padma awards committee for the honour, senior home ministry officials remained tightlipped on whether he figured on the shortlist and got excluded after he declined the award.
The Padma Awards Committee painstakingly goes through the citations of each person recommended in a given year, before picking the final awardees. Awards are not conferred posthumously unless the person being considered has died within a year before the announcement of the list (one reason why Anant Pai may not have been chosen). Also, those facing criminal cases are usually rejected based on a verification of their antecedents.
As many as 104 persons were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri this year. While senior BJP member L K Advani, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and actors Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar were conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the highest civilian honour after the Bharat Ratna; former solicitor general Harish Salve and Microsoft founder Bill Gates and wife Melinda Gates were among those awarded the Padma Bhushan.
The list of persons for whom recommendations were received from one or more sources included film personality Gautam Navnitlal Adhikari, actor Sachin Pilgaonkar, music director Anu Malik, comic book creator Anant Pai, sarangi player Ustad Kamal Sabri, sarod player Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, herbal cosmetics entrepreneur Shahnaz Hussain and fashion designer Ritu Beri.
Letters endorsing the names of celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Hindi poet Ashok Vajpayi, Sanskrit poet Pandit Mithilaprasad Tripathi, singer Preeti Sagar, spiritual guru Acharya Sri Sudarshan and LGBT rights activist Ashok Row Kavi were also addressed to the Padma awards committee. Among the sports personalities whose names were placed before the awards panel but did not show up in the final list put out on Republic Day eve were snooker champion Pankaj Advani and athlete Anju Bobby George.
The home ministry will shortly make public the list of all 1,897 names recommended for the prestigious awards - Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri - this year. As has been the practice since last year, the list of persons who recommended these names will also be uploaded on the home ministry website.
Though the list of Padma recommendations, accessed exclusively by TOI, confirms that Baba Ramdev was indeed recommended and considered by the Padma awards committee for the honour, senior home ministry officials remained tightlipped on whether he figured on the shortlist and got excluded after he declined the award.
The Padma Awards Committee painstakingly goes through the citations of each person recommended in a given year, before picking the final awardees. Awards are not conferred posthumously unless the person being considered has died within a year before the announcement of the list (one reason why Anant Pai may not have been chosen). Also, those facing criminal cases are usually rejected based on a verification of their antecedents.
As many as 104 persons were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri this year. While senior BJP member L K Advani, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and actors Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar were conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the highest civilian honour after the Bharat Ratna; former solicitor general Harish Salve and Microsoft founder Bill Gates and wife Melinda Gates were among those awarded the Padma Bhushan.
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