As the curtains came down on Sunday night at London`s Royal Festival Hall, the BAFTA Film Awards delivered drama, history, and a few gasp-worthy moments. From One Battle After Another winning big to several Indian personalities stealing the show with historic moments, the awards night was indeed a memorable affair. However, the Memoriam segment struck an emotional chord at the ceremony as it paid tribute to late actor Dharmendra.
BAFTA’s Memoriam segment pays tribute to Dharmendra
The segment honoured world cinema’s most celebrated names who passed away in 2025. Among several legendary names, late actor Dharmendra was also honoured.
Jessie Ware took to the stage and sang an emotional rendition of Barbra Streisand`s The Way We Were as she paid tribute to the departed figures. The segment remembered several international legends, including Diane Keaton, Terence Stamp, Catherine O’Hara, Rob Reiner, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Tom Stoppard, Brigitte Bardot, Lalo Schifrin, Michael Madsen, and Val Kilmer.
Jessie Ware performing “The Way We Were” during `In Memoriam` segment.#EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/E2CYnG4f2x
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Indian actor Dharmendra was also mentioned in the tribute. It was a moment of immense pride, as a legendary figure of Hindi cinema was celebrated on one of the world’s grandest stages. Dharmendra passed away on 24 November 2025 at his Mumbai residence at the age of 89, following a prolonged illness. Popularly known as the “He-Man” of Hindi cinema, he built a career that spanned more than six decades.
More about BAFTA 2026
The BAFTA Awards, hosted by Scottish star Alan Cumming, took place at London`s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday evening. India had a reason to celebrate at the BAFTA Awards 2026 as Boong, a Manipuri-language debut feature, won the Best Children and Family Film award, marking a significant moment for Indian cinema on the global stage.
The star-studded ceremony included Bollywood star Alia Bhatt as a celebrity guest presenter for the Best Film Not in the English Language trophy for the Nordic drama Sentimental Value. She opened with “Namaste” and, after a few Hindi words, switched to English to note that “while film speaks in countless voices, what we always celebrate is the language of cinema.”
Meanwhile, the British Academy Awards were dominated by Leonardo DiCaprio starrer One Battle After Another, which won six awards on the night, including Best Director and Best Film. Other films, such as Sinner, also earned major awards, with several artists taking home their first BAFTA trophies.