Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Bollywood icon Dharmendra passed away in Mumbai on November 24, at the age of 89. . Amitabh Bachchan, and superstars Aamir Khan and Salman Khan reached the Pawan Hans crematorium to pay his last respects to the veteran actor. All of them were seen in their cars reaching the crematorium amidst heavy police deployment. Actors Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan and Zayed Khan, and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur were also photographed at the location along with the family of the late actor.
Dharmendra was reportedly put on a ventilator, as he was suffering from breathing difficulties. The actor used to live at his Khandala farmhouse with his first wife, Prakash Kaur. The actor had relocated to the town in light of the worsening pollution levels in the maximum city. This marks another demise in Hindi cinema in quick succession. Earlier, actors Pankaj Dheer, Asrani, Satish Shah and advertising legend Piyush Pandey passed away last month. Dharmendra was one of Bollywood’s most enduring and beloved stars. He was born in 1935 in Punjab, and began his career in the early 1960s, after he was discovered through a talent hunt competition. In the late 1950s, Filmfare magazine, in collaboration with Bimal Roy Productions, organized a nationwide talent contest to find new faces for Hindi cinema.
He entered the competition and was selected as the winner in 1958, chosen for his striking looks and natural charm. This victory opened the door to the film industry for him. The same talent hunt would later go on to discover Rajesh Khanna, one of Hindi cinema’s biggest superstars.
Dharmendra quickly rose to fame with his charming looks, emotional depth, and effortless screen presence. His versatility allowed him to excel in romance, action, and comedy alike. Some of his most iconic films include ‘Phool Aur Patthar’, which established him as a leading man, and ‘Sholay’, where his portrayal of the lovable, witty Veeru became legendary.
