- Veteran actor Dharmendra died on November 24 at the age of 89 at his Mumbai home
- He was discharged 12 days before his death from Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai
- Dharmendra debuted in 1960 with the film Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere
Veteran actor Dharmendra died today at the age of 89 at his Mumbai home.
The actor died 12 days after he was discharged from Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital where he was admitted late October after he complained of breathlessness. He would have turned 90 on December 8.
Dharmendra, who made his debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, started out his career playing common man roles in the 1960s in films such as Anpadh, Bandini, Anupama and Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke.
He later graduated to playing lead roles in Sholay, Dharam Veer, Chupke Chupke, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, and Dream Girl.
A bevy of Bollywood stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, and Sanjay Dutt, attended the last rites of Dharmendra on Monday afternoon at the Pawan Hans crematorium where the late actor was cremated amid heavy security. The media was not allowed inside the crematorium.
Dharmendra's family is yet to issue an official statement about his death.
Several of the film icon's colleagues, such as Sharmila Tagore, Javed Akhtar, and Saira Banu spoke to NDTV remembering Dharmendra.
Sharmila Tagore, who co-starred with Dharmendra in films including Naseeb, Devar, and Chupke Chupke, said she hoped the actor would pull through.
She said, "I was almost daily on the phone with them. I knew he was critical, I really really wished he would make through."
The actor, who shares her birthday with Dharmendra (December 8), recalled working with the actor in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Chupke Chupke.
She said, "When he was late for outdoor shooting, Rishi Da continued without him. After that, Dharam was never late for Rishi Da's set. He was worried that his role would be cut. He was a wonderful person."
"I did many romantic films, I keep coming to Chupke Chupke, It was a comedy. Everyone should see him in it and laugh," she added added.
Screenwriter Javed Akhtar said the whole film industry is shocked by Dharmendra's death.
"Unfortunately, I'm not in Mumbai. With Dharmendra's death, an era has come to an end. He was one of those giants," he told NDTV.
Javed Akhtar shared that he first met Dharmendra when he was starting his career. He said, "I feel very fortunate that when I came to Bombay, I was a clapper boy. I was 20-21, and he was at the pinnacle of his career. My second film as an assistant director was Yakeen, where he was a superstar, and I got a salary of Rs 175 only. He had no reason to be nice to me."
Saira Banu, who worked with Dharmendra on Jwar Bhata, Aadmi Aur Insaan, and Resham Ki Dori, said she was overwhelmed with grief.
"Dharmendra's death is impossible to process. Dilip Sahab (Dilip Kumar) considered him his younger brother. He would often come to my house to chat, eat and sometimes drink with Dilip Sahab. I'm too upset to talk about this. I will always remember him," Saira Banu told NDTV.
Actor and BJP MP Smriti Irani called Dharmendra "a true son of the soil".
"He will always be remembered not only for his craft and humility but also for the lasting impression he left on everyone he met. His legacy - both in his journey and his art - is immense." She added, "He was the kind of man who made Chupke Chupke stand out. Films like Chupke Chupke, Guddi, and Sholay will always remind me of his brilliance," Smriti Irani told NDTV.
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, who shared screen space with Dharmendra in the 1987 action film Insaaf Kaun Karega, paid homage to the late actor on social media.
"Farewell, my friend. I will always remember your golden heart and the moments we shared. Rest in peace, Dharam ji. My deepest condolences to his family," he wrote on X.
Dharmendra was last seen in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon. His next cinematic appearance is Ikkis, fronted by Amitabh Bachchan's grandson Agastya Nanda. The film is slated to be released on December 25.
Earlier in the day, the makers of Ikkis released the motion poster of Dharmendra's character in the upcoming movie.
It stars the film icon in the role of Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal, the father of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal who was killed in action during the 1971 India-Pakistan War at the age of 21.
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