Today on November 24, Bollywood lost another gem. Veteran superstar Dharmendra breathed his last at his Juhu residence. Just weeks before his 90th birthday, the He-Man of the Hindi film industry left for his heavenly abode at the age of 89. The news of his passing left a void in many hearts. Paying tribute to the actor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “The passing of Dharmendra Ji marks the end of an era in Indian cinema. He was an iconic film personality, a phenomenal actor who brought charm and depth to every role he played. The manner in which he played diverse roles struck a chord with countless people. Dharmendra Ji was equally admired for his simplicity, humility and warmth. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with his family, friends and innumerable fans. Om Shanti.”
Actor Akshay Kumar, who was among the first celebrities to reach Pawan Hans Crematorium for Dharmendra’s funeral, shared, “Growing up, Dharmendra ji was the hero every boy wanted to be… our industry’s original He-Man. Thank you for inspiring generations. You’ll live on through your films and the love you spread. Om Shanti 🙏,” whereas Karan Johar penned an emotional note which read, “It is an end of an ERA….. a massive mega star… the embodiment of a HERO in mainstream cinema… incredibly handsome and the most enigmatic screen presence … he is and will always be a bonafide Legend of Indian Cinema… defining and richly present in the pages of cinema history … but mostly he was the best human being… he was so loved by everyone in our industry …. He only had immense love and positivity for everyone … his blessings, his hug and his incredible warmth will be missed more than words can describe …. Today there is a gaping hole in our industry … a space that can never be filled by anyone … there will always be the one and only DHARAMJI… we love you kind Sir…. We will miss you so much…. The heavens are blessed today…. It will always be my blessing to have worked with you…. And my heart says with respect, reverence and love…. Abhi Na jao chodke…. Ke dil abhi bhara nahi…… OM SHANTI🕉️.”
Raveena Tandon, Ananya Panday, Ranveer Singh, Sushmita Sen, Varun Dhawan, Kajol, Ajay Devgn, Manish Malhotra, Kapil Sharma, Farhan Akhtar and Shilpa Shetty also paid their last respects to Dharam Paaji. Sanjay Dutt, who worked with Dharmendra in films such as Mardon Wali Baat (1988) and Khatron Ke Khiladi (1988), shared, “Some people don’t just work in your life… they live in your heart. Dharam ji was one of them. It’s a void that can’t be described. My thoughts are with Sunny, Bobby, and the entire family…”
Dharam ji may be gone, but his memories will continue to keep him alive in millions of hearts.
