Kailash Kher, in an exclusive conversation with NDTV, recalled fond memories of legendary actor Dharmendra, who died today (November 24).
"I have extremely fond memories of Dharmendra. He was my neighbour. When I used to visit his place, he treated me really well. He used to love my music. Dharmendra is known for his nature. It's sad that he is no more with us," Kher told NDTV.
Dharmendra's Death
Dharmendra died at the age of 89 on Monday. He had recently been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai and was discharged after showing signs of recovery.
Reports stated that he was placed on a ventilator due to breathing difficulties. The actor had been living at his farmhouse in Khandala with his first wife, Prakash Kaur, after relocating from Mumbai because of rising pollution levels.
His death follows a series of recent losses in the film industry, including Pankaj Dheer, Asrani, Satish Shah, and advertising veteran Piyush Pandey, who died last month.
Dharmendra's Last Rites
Veteran actors Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, and Salman Khan arrived at the Pawan Hans crematorium on Monday to pay their last respects to Dharmendra, who died earlier today.
They were photographed arriving in their cars amid heavy police deployment. Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Zayed Khan, and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur were also seen at the crematorium along with members of the late actor's family.
About Dharmendra
Born in 1935 in Punjab, Dharmendra began his film career in the early 1960s after being discovered through a talent hunt. In 1958, he won a nationwide contest conducted by Filmfare magazine and Bimal Roy Productions, which selected him for his screen presence and marked his entry into Hindi cinema. The same initiative later introduced Rajesh Khanna to the industry.
Dharmendra went on to become one of Bollywood's most popular stars, known for his romantic, action, and comic roles. His notable films include Phool Aur Patthar, which established him as a leading actor, and Sholay, where his performance as Veeru achieved iconic status.
He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.
