Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, lovingly known as Bollywood’s He Man and Dharam Paaji, passed away on Monday at the age of 89. He breathed his last at his residence after being admitted to Breach Candy Hospital earlier this month due to respiratory problems, as per IANS.
Dharmendra, born as Dharmendra Singh Deol, began his film career in 1960 and quickly rose to stardom. He acted in more than 300 films over six decades and became famous for his versatility. He played everything from a romantic hero to an action star with equal ease. His iconic performance as Veeru in Sholay remains one of the most loved roles in Indian cinema. He is also remembered for films such as Phool Aur Patthar, Seeta Aur Geeta, Chupke Chupke, Dharam Veer and Pratigya.
In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his immense contribution to Indian cinema. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2012. He continued acting even in recent years and was seen in the 2024 film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, where he played Shahid Kapoor’s grandfather. He also appeared in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, earning praise for his heartfelt performance. His final film will be Ikkis, starring Agastya Nanda, in which he plays the role of a grandfather.
Dharmendra is survived by his wife Hema Malini, his first wife Prakash Kaur, and his children Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.
