The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra Deol, one of India’s
most celebrated film stars and a defining action hero, died at his home in
Mumbai on Monday at age 89, Reuters reported, citing local media.
Local outlets said Dharmendra had been ill for the past
month. He is survived by two wives and six children.
Filmmaker Karan Johar, who cast Dharmendra in his 2023 film “Rocky
Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” (Rocky and Rani’s Love Story), called him “a massive
mega star, the embodiment of a hero in mainstream cinema,” in an Instagram
post.
Known simply as Dharmendra to millions of fans, the actor
appeared in more than 300 films during a career that spanned over six decades.
Born in Punjab province in 1935, he entered the movie industry after winning a
talent contest run by a film magazine, later moving to Mumbai and debuting in
his first film in 1960.
He went on to work in arthouse films, romances, comedies and
action blockbusters, becoming one of the top actors of his generation. His most
iconic performance came in the 1975 classic “Sholay” (Embers), where he played
one half of a small-time criminal duo hired to capture a notorious bandit. The
film has since become deeply embedded in Indian popular culture, with his
dialogues remaining influential and widely shared as memes.
Dharmendra married his first wife, Prakash Kaur, before
achieving fame. In 1980, after starring opposite Hema Malini in several films,
he married her without divorcing his first wife. He also served as a lawmaker
in India’s parliament from 2004 to 2009.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Draupadi
Murmu and other leaders expressed condolences, with Modi saying Dharmendra was
“an iconic film personality, a phenomenal actor who brought charm and depth to
every role he played.”
