Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, celebrated for his wide-ranging performances and enduring popularity through the 1970s and 1980s, died on Monday at the age of 89, CNN reported.
The screen icon, who would have turned 90 on December 8, had been receiving intermittent medical treatment in Mumbai in recent weeks.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the late actor, calling his passing «the end of an era» for the country’s film industry. In a message posted on X, Modi praised Dharmendra as a «phenomenal actor» whose ease in portraying diverse characters resonated deeply with audiences across generations.
Born Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol in 1935 in Punjab, he spent his early years on a farm before moving to Mumbai in the late 1950s. He entered the Hindi film industry in 1960, beginning a career that would span more than six decades and include over 300 films.
In 2012, Dharmendra received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor, recognizing his significant contributions to cinema. Beyond acting, he also served as an MP in India in the early 2000s.
Thanks to his talent and versatile performance, Dharmendra became synonymous with action-hero roles defined by courage, integrity and patriotic spirit. Yet he was equally admired for his romantic movies, which helped cement his status as one of the most beloved Indian actors.
Reflecting on his long career in a 2021 interview with Rediff, he remarked, «I never thought I would come this far.»
