Entertainment Desk:

Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra passed away on Monday morning at his residence in Juhu at the age of 89, according to reports by Indian news agency IANS. The family has not yet released an official statement regarding his death. The legendary actor was cremated at Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai, with family members and close friends in attendance. Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan were among those who paid their final respects.

Dharmendra passed away just 12 days after being discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, where he had been admitted in late October due to breathlessness. The actor was set to celebrate his 90th birthday on December 8.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who worked with Dharmendra in “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”, paid tribute to the actor on Instagram, calling him “the embodiment of a hero in mainstream cinema” and “a bonafide legend of Indian cinema.” Johar added, “There will always be the one and only Dharamji… we will miss you so much… the heavens are blessed today.”

Born in a village in Ludhiana in 1935, Dharmendra made his film debut in 1960 with the romantic drama “Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere”. He established himself as a leading romantic hero in the 1960s with films such as “Bandini”, “Ayee Milan Ki Bela”, and “Khamoshi”, before gaining critical acclaim for his performance in Chetan Anand’s war drama “Haqeeqat” (1965). His breakthrough as a box-office star came with “Phool Aur Patthar” in 1966.

Over the next two decades, Dharmendra starred in some of Bollywood’s biggest hits, including “Mera Gaon Mera Desh”, “Seeta Aur Geeta”, “Chupke Chupke”, “Sholay”, and “Yaadon Ki Baraat”. In the 1980s, he transitioned into action roles and ensemble casts, earning the nickname “He-Man of India.”

Later in his career, Dharmendra successfully took on character roles in films like “Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya”, “Johnny Gaddaar”, and “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”. He also shared the screen with his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol in the “Yamla Pagla Deewana” series and “Apne”.

Dharmendra was last seen in “Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya”, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon. His upcoming film, “Ikkis”, featuring Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, is scheduled for release on December 25.

In addition to his film career, Dharmendra was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan and served as a Member of Parliament after being elected from Bikaner in 2004 on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.