Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra has passed away in Mumbai at the age of 89.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the screen icon, saying his death “marks the end of an era in Indian cinema.”
Despite frequently describing himself as “a simple man,” Dharmendra enjoyed extraordinary admiration and loyalty from tens of millions of fans. Best remembered as Veeru—the charming petty criminal from the 1975 blockbuster Sholay—he appeared in more than 300 films over a career that spanned decades, with many becoming major hits.
His songs topped charts, and his highly publicised romance and eventual marriage to actress Hema Malini kept him in the spotlight. Nicknamed the “original He-Man of Bollywood” and “Garam Dharam,” he often appeared on international lists of the world’s most handsome men. Female fans famously kept his photographs under their pillows, and even Bollywood colleagues were drawn to his charisma—Madhuri Dixit called him “one of the most handsome people I have seen on screen,” Salman Khan described him as “the most beautiful looking man,” and Jaya Bachchan referred to him as “a Greek God.” Dharmendra, however, often said such praise embarrassed him, attributing his looks to “nature, my parents, and my genes.”
Born Dharam Singh Deol on 8 December 1935 in Nasrali village in Punjab’s Ludhiana district, he grew up in a middle-class Jatt-Sikh family. Although his father wanted him to pursue academics, Dharmendra fell in love with cinema early. In a 2018 interview with BBC Hindi, he recalled being captivated after watching his first film as a ninth-standard student: “I wondered where this heaven was where all these beautiful people lived… I felt like I belonged there.” His family initially disapproved, but after he entered—and won—the All India Talent Contest by Filmfare magazine, he moved to Bombay (now Mumbai), launching his film career.
Debuting in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere, he dominated Bollywood for the next three decades. His breakthrough came with Bimal Roy’s Bandini (1963), where he earned acclaim for his role as a compassionate prison doctor. He went on to become a romantic lead opposite stars such as Nutan, Meena Kumari, Mala Sinha, and Saira Banu. His first major action role arrived with Phool Aur Patthar (1966), but it was Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971) that cemented his status as an action hero. Known for performing his own daring stunts, Dharmendra also excelled in thrillers and comedies, earning praise for his impeccable comic timing in Chupke Chupke (1975).
His most enduring on-screen partnership was with Hema Malini, whom he married in 1980. Their romance blossomed during hits such as Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, and Sholay, despite initial family resistance and Dharmendra already being married to his first wife, Prakash Kaur. While some reports claimed he converted to Islam to marry Hema Malini—a move that allows polygamy—Dharmendra later denied this.
He also ventured into politics, serving as the BJP MP for Bikaner from 2005 to 2009. Often criticized for his low parliamentary attendance, he later admitted he felt out of place in politics, saying, “Politics is not for emotional people… These five years were very tough for me.”
Dharmendra continued working almost until his death, acting alongside his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol, appearing on reality shows, and staying active on social media.
Though he delivered countless memorable performances, his portrayal of Veeru in Sholay remains his most iconic. The film, which also starred Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, and Jaya Bachchan, became a cultural phenomenon. Many fans have credited Dharmendra as the “soul of Sholay,” and he himself said, “I don’t think I have ever done a better role than Veeru.”
Despite his long list of hits, Dharmendra never occupied Bollywood’s “number one” spot and was often overlooked for major awards. He eventually received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012 for his contributions to Indian cinema. Yet he remained humble, saying he never chased stardom: “Fame is transient. All I ever wanted was people’s love.”
Tributes poured in across social media on Wednesday. Akshay Kumar wrote, “Growing up, Dharmendra was the hero every boy wanted to be… You’ll live on through your films and the love you spread.” Director Karan Johar called his death the “end of an era,” adding that it left “a gaping hole in the industry… a space that can never be filled.”
