Pankaj Dheer, who played the iconic Karna in B.R. Chopra's cult show Mahabharat (1988-1990), died on Wednesday after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 68. Pankaj Dheer's face and name are synonymous with the character Karna, often regarded as the most tragic character of the epic.
Karna - The Identity Battle
Kunti was granted the boon to bear a child with desired divine qualities from the gods, and without much knowledge, Kunti invoked the sun god to confirm if it was true.
Karna was secretly born to an unmarried Kunti in her teenage years.
Fearing societal stigma, Kunti had to abandon the newly born Karna in a basket on the Ganges.
Actor Pankaj Dheer, Who played Karna in Br Chopra Mahabharat, Passed Away.
— OTC GOD MODE🩸 (@Rockstar82vansh) October 15, 2025
May his soul rest in eternal peace. 🕊️#OmShanti #PankajDheer pic.twitter.com/VhPlFacq4g
The basket was discovered floating on the Ganges. He was adopted and raised by foster Suta parents named Radha and Adhiratha Nandana, charioteers and poets working for King Dhritarashtra.
Karna grew up to be an accomplished warrior of extraordinary abilities, a gifted speaker, and became a loyal friend of Duryodhana.
He was appointed the king of Anga (Bihar-Bengal) by Duryodhana.
In the battle of Kurukshetra, he was on the Kaurava side, and died on the battle field.
Pankaj Dheer Immortalized Karna On Screen
Torn between his identity as a Sut-putra and his duties as a warrior, Karna's journey was not easy. Pankaj Dheer brought out the existential crisis of Karna through his powerful acting in the '90s epic show, which still resonates across generations. A particular scene with Bhishma (played by Mukesh Khanna), where he talked about his repeated defeats when pitted against Arjun, has made its way to social media.
An X user wrote, "An Appreciation Tweet For " Pankaj Dheer " For Portraying Karna's Character Brilliantly. What An Actor!!
Mahabharat's Karna, Pankaj Dheer ji, dies after battling cancer. 💔
— Pulkit Sharma (@Pulkits77) October 15, 2025
By far the best scene of महाभारत।
Pankaj Dheer ji made my favourite character कर्ण , Immortal. ❤️🙏🏽 @actmukeshkhanna #PankajDheer #Mahabharat pic.twitter.com/3Gukvi2iu3
Another X user wrote, "From Chandrakanta to Mahabharat, his performances defined an era."
From Chandrakanta to Mahabharat, his performances defined an era. Grew up watching and admiring #PankajDheer sir. Om Shanti 🙏 pic.twitter.com/MTXMjTSoB5
— Priyanka Hemanti Bhatt (@iPriyankaBhatt) October 15, 2025
Auditioned For Arjun, Ended Up Doing Karna
During an old interview interaction with Lehren, Pankaj Dheer opened up how he was thrown out by BR Chopra as he didn't want to shrug off his moustache for the role of Arjun.
"When I gave my audition, dialogue writers Rahi Masoom Raza, Bhring Tupkari sahab and Pandit Narendra Sharma ji had a panel together. They all thought that I would suit the role of Arjuna well. We shook hands on that and I signed the contract. Then BR Chopra called me and told me that since I would also have to play the role of Brihannala (the eunuch form of Arjuna) and for that you would need to shave off your moustache. I was like, 'No, I can't do that.' I told him that my face's balance is such that if I shave off my moustache, I won't look good. He told me, 'Are you an actor or what? You are leaving such a big role because of a moustache. I can't understand this," he said.
But Pankaj Dheer was destined to play Karna. "It was my big stupidity but at that time, I could understand only this much. Chopra sahab told me, 'Get out of this door and don't come back.' He threw me out of his office. My contract was torn and for six months I kept roaming around and doing dubbing. Chopra sir called me again and this is what I call destiny. He asked me if I could do Karna's role. I asked him, 'Sir I don't have to shave off my moustache, right?' He said no. It was destiny that I got Karna's role," Pankaj Dheer recalled.
Beyond Mahabharat
Apart from Mahabharat, Pankaj Dheer gained another fanbase for his powerful portrayal as Raja Shivdutt in another cult show Chandrakanta, which aired on television from 1994-1996.
In recent times, Pankaj Dheer was seen in daily soaps like Teen Bahuraaniyaan, Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, Rang Badalti Odhani, Sasural Simar Ka.
Pankaj Dheer acted in minor roles in films like Saugandh, Sanam Bewafa, Sadak, to name a few.
Also Read | Pankaj Dheer, Karna Of Mahabharat, Dies At 68 After Cancer Battle
