Dharmendra, The He-Man Of Bollywood & Superstar With Most Hits, Dies; Condolences Pour In

Dharmendra Dies At 89: Bollywood lost a gem today. Veteran actor and the industry's he-man, Dharmendra, breathed his last ahead of his 90th birthday on December 8. The Padma Bhushan awardee was rushed to the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on Monday afternoon, where he passed away. 

While the exact cause of his demise remains unknown, fans of Dharmendra have taken to their social media account to share moving tributes for the actor. The actor's wife and veteran actress Hema Malini, sons Sunny and Bobby Deol, were spotted at the Pawan Hans crematorium, where his last rites were held today. The family was accompanied by Bollywood stars and industry insiders like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajkumar Santoshi and Aamir Khan among others, who arrived to pay last respects to the legendary actor. 

Condolences pour in for Dharmendra 
 

Friends, fans and industry insiders took to their social media accounts to mourn the loss of the Bollywood legend. Actresses Kareena Kapoor, Ananya Panday and Kiara Advani took to their social media accounts to share throwback photos of Dharmendra. 
 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his X (formerly Twitter) to pay an emotional tribute to the veteran actor. 

Dharmendra through the decades

Popularly known as Dharam ji among industry peers, the veteran actor made his debut in 1960. In a career spanning over six decades, the actor has featured in over 300 films, including Ankhen, Shikar, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Jeevan Mrityu, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Jugnu, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Dost, Sholay, Pratiggya, Charas, Dharam Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Ghulami, Hukumat, Aag Hi Aag, and Elaan-E-Jung. His breakthrough came in 1964 with Ayee Milan Ki Bela, in which he played the role of an antagonist.

From 1970, Dharmendra delivered back-to-back successes with his now wife Hema Malini. The duo collaborated on hits like Tum Haseen Main Jawan, Sharafat, Seeta Aur Geeta, and Raja Jani. The actor dominated the celluloid in the early 1970s and rose to superstar status at the time.

The second half of the 1970s saw the advent of Amitabh Bachchan, another up-and-coming star, though Dharmendra remained rock solid. The actors collaborated on projects such as Chupke Chupke and Sholay, which remains one of Bollywood's most popular films to date.

Dharmendra saw his fair share of ups and downs in the 1980s. The decade boasts his commercial successes, such as Ram Balram, in which he reunited with Bachchan, Kaatilon Ke Kaatil, Rajput, Badle Ki Aag, Ghazab, Baghavat, Samraat, Naukar Biwi Ka, Qayamat, Ghulami, Hukumat, Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Insaaf Kaun Karega, Insaf Ki Pukar, and Loha. The veteran actor also saw an equal number of average grossers and box office disasters during this period.

His star power waned further in the 1990s. While the era marks some of Dharmendra's most memorable works, such as Naakabandi (1990), Veeru Dada (1990), Humse Na Takrana (1990), Kohraam (1991) and Tahalka, movies in which he played the role of the lead actor began to decrease. The actor started being a part of ensemble films and playing a supporting role.

Following the 1990s, Dharmendra began doing character roles in films such as Life In A Metro, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Apne and Yamla Pagla Deewana. While his screentime in these films remained limited, the actor's performance became a talking point. The same was the case in Alia Bhatt-Ranveer Singh's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaanii (2023) and Tere Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024), films that marked some of the actor's last on-screen performances. Dharmendra will be last seen in Sriram Raghavan's directorial Ikkis, which will hit the big screens on December 25, 2025.

Also Read: Dharmendra's Family: Know All About His 2 Wives, 6 Children And 13 Grandchildren