Veteran actor and Padma Bhushan awardee Dharmendra — known for his unforgettable role as Veeru in the cult film Sholay and memorable performances in iconic films such as Phool Aur Patthar, Bandini, Seeta Aur Geeta, Chupke Chupke, Dharam Veer and Pratigya — is no more.
Less than a fortnight after his upset family took him back to from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital after a section of media went to town spreading rumours about his death, Dharmendra passed away quietly at his Juhu residence in north-west Mumbai on Monday morning, ahead of his 90th birthday on December 8.
He was 89 and is survived by Prakash Kaur and Hema Malini, his wives and six children — including Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, daughters Vijeta and Ajeeta with Kaur; and actress Esha Deol and Ahana Deol with Malini. Considered the original He-Man of Bollywood, Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol had not been keeping well for some time. Following complaints of breathlessness, he had on October 31 been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital, from where he was discharged on November 12.
His last rites were held at the Pawan Hans crematorium amid tight security and away from media glare. Apart from his family members, including his son and second wife Hema Malini, veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan and other actors like Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt and Aamir Khan, attended the funeral.
In his 65-year-long career, Dharmendra, who was one of the most handsome, popular and commercially successful actors of Indian cinema, had starred in more than 300 films. He had delivered the maximum number of hits in the Indian cinema.
Dharmendra, as he had himself said in the past that he believed in dying with his boots on, precisely did that, ahead of his last film Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan and starring Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda and Jaideep Ahlawat, which is slated for release on December 25, 2025. The makers of Ikkis released a poster of the film featuring Dharmendra earlier on Monday.
He was last seen in the 2024 movie, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, which starred Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon in lead roles. He was earlier seen in Karan Johar’s 2023 film, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani with Shabana Azmi, Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh and Jaya Bachchan.
Dharmendra also made a foray into politics. He was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha of India, representing the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan from the BJP from 2004 to 2009. Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan aka Jai from the iconic 1975 blockbuster Sholay, who is a long-time friend and co-star of Dharmendra, other memorable films like Chupke Chupke and Ram Balram was prominent among those present at his actor-friend’s funeral.