Only wish honour had come earlier: Anil Sharma congratulates late Dharmendra for Padma Vibhushan

New Delhi (PTI): Filmmaker Anil Sharma, known for directing "Gadar" films, penned a note on his social media congratulating late Bollywood veteran Dharmendra on getting honoured with Padma Vibhushan, but said the actor deserved it way before, and could have received it himself.

Anil shared a post on his X handle on Monday evening, which featured the picture of the late actor. "Heartfelt congratulations to every admirer of @aapkadharam ji on his #PadmaVibhushan. One only wishes this honour had come earlier, when he could have accepted it himself… the joy would have been immeasurable. Yet the truth remains… some legacies rise above awards," he wrote.

Heartfelt congratulations to every admirer of @aapkadharam ji on his #PadmaVibhushan.
One only wishes this honour had come earlier, when he could have accepted it himself… the joy would have been immeasurable.
Yet the truth remains…
some legacies rise above awards.
The love,… pic.twitter.com/rCvxls82sj

— Anil Sharma (@Anilsharma_dir) January 26, 2026

"The love, respect, and admiration Dharam ji received from generations is far greater than any title, medal or any award," he added.

Dharmendra, whose career spanned over 60 years, died on November 24, aged 89. The actor, known for featuring in over 300 films, including "Satyakam”, “Johnny Gaddar”, “Guddi”, “Sholay”, and "Ikkis", was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan last week.

His last work is "Ikkis", which released on January 1. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film revolved around Agastya Nanda's character, Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred at the age of 21 during the Battle of Basantar in the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

For his courage and sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, making him the youngest recipient of India’s highest military honour at the time.