Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Nov 24: The heartbeat of Hindi cinema’s golden era who turned raw instinct into cinematic immortality, the veteran actor Dharmendra passed away in Mumbai n Monday due to age-related ailments at his Mumbai home. He was 89.
Actor Dharmendra whose playful charm, rugged masculinity and comic flair made heroism heartfelt and romance an epic adventure, died 12 days after he was discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital where he was admitted on October 31 after he complained of breathlessness. He would have turned 90 on December 8.
His last rites were performed at the Pawan Hans crematorium. Several celebrities such as Dharmendra’s second wife Hema Malini, co-stars Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, and other actors including Sanjay Dutt and Aamir Khan, attended the cremation of the actor amid heavy security.
From the Preident Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and a horde of other political leaders across party lines, and from Bollywood to sports personalities, tributes poured in for the ‘He-Man of Bollywood.’
Dharmendra, who made his debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, started out his career playing common man roles in the 1960s in films such as Anpadh, Bandini, Anupama and Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke. He later graduated to playing lead roles in Sholay, Dharam Veer, Chupke Chupke, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, and Dream Girl.
Dharmendra was last seen in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon. His next cinematic appearance is Ikkis, fronted by Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda. The film which is slated to be released on December 25, has turned out to be his last film.
The 89-year-old actor had been in and out of south Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital for several days. The star with a 65-year career spanning 300 films, Dharmendra is known for his memorable performances in films such as ‘Ayee Milan Ki Bela’, ‘Phool Aur Patthar’, ‘Aaye Din Bahar Ke’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Raja Jani’, ‘Jugnu’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘Dost’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Pratiggya’, ‘Charas’, ‘Dharam Veer’, among others. In 2023, he was seen in ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’, directed by Karan Johar.
Dango and Sahnewal, two nondescript villages in Punjab’s Ludhiana district situated more than 30 kilometres apart, have one thing in common — Bollywood’s He-Man Dharmendra. And now they are united in grief over the passing of the showbiz legend. As the news of the legend’s death flashed across news channels, Dango and Sahnewal got into deep mourning.
Born in Dango village in 1935, Dharam Singh Deol and his family shifted to Sahnewal and settled there after his father, Kewal Kishen Singh Deol, a schoolteacher, was transferred there. While Sahnewal is mostly identified with Dharmendra, people of Dango also have fond memories of the late actor.
According to Dharmendra’s friend Parminder Singh, the actor would meet people in these villages like an ordinary villager, shedding the aura common for a Bollywood megastar. “He made us feel that he was like any one of us,” said Dharmendra’s friend, who is now in his eighties.
The veteran actor left behind not only a celebrated legacy but also one of Bollywood’s most esteemed and expansive film families. Known as the “He-Man” of Hindi cinema, his family spans multiple generations of actors, filmmakers, and industry professionals, all carrying forward parts of his enduring legacy.
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954, when he was just 19 years old – well before his entry into films and has an enduring 71 years career together. The couple has four children, two sons and two daughters. Sunny Deol, the eldest son, is a well-known actor, director, and politician. He is married to Pooja Deol, and they have two sons: Karan Deol, who is an actor married to Drisha Acharya, and Rajveer Deol, also an actor who debuted in the film Dono. Bobby Deol, the younger son, is an actor and producer married to Tanya Ahuja, an interior designer. They have two sons named Aryaman Deol and Dharam Deol, the latter named after Dharmendra himself.
Among the daughters from this marriage, Vijayta Deol lives largely away from the limelight and is married to Vivek Gill; they have two children: Prerna and Sahil Gill. Ajeeta Deol, the youngest daughter, resides in California away from the film industry and is married to Dr Kiran Chaudhri. She has two children, Dr Nikita Mina and Dr Prianka Chaudhri.
In 1980, Dharmendra married actress Hema Malini, his co-star in several hit films, including Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Jugnu, and Sholay. Their relationship had been the subject of immense public interest and controversy, as Dharmendra remained legally married to Prakash Kaur at the time.
Despite the public scrutiny, Dharmendra and Hema Malini’s marriage endured, and the two went on to have two daughters together. The eldest daughter, Esha Deol, an actress, was earlier married to businessman Bharat Takhtani, and they have two daughters named Radhya and Miraya Takhtani. Ahana Deol, a classical dancer and entrepreneur, is married to Vaibhav Vohra. They have twin daughters named Astraia and Adea, as well as a son named Darien Vohra.
Hema Malini and her daughters live separately in Mumbai, while Dharmendra largely stayed with his first family. However, he maintained cordial relations and was present during important family milestones and celebrations. Dharmendra’s younger brother, Ajit Singh Deol, was also an actor and producer. He was the father of Abhay Deol, known for his roles in Dev D, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Shanghai. Abhay shares a close bond with both Sunny and Bobby Deol, often referring to Dharmendra as a father figure.
The Deol legacy continues through Dharmendra’s grandchildren, many of whom are gradually stepping into the spotlight. Karan Deol and Rajveer Deol, sons of Sunny Deol, represent the third generation of Deols in the Hindi film industry. Aryaman Deol and Dharam Deol, Bobby’s sons, are currently pursuing their studies but are expected to enter the entertainment field in the future. From the Hema Malini side, Esha Deol’s daughters, Radhya and Miraya, and Ahana Deol’s children – Astraia, Adea and Darien – form the youngest generation of the Deol family.
Dharmendra’s estimated net worth between Rs 335 crore and Rs 450 crore. In his six-decade career, Dharmendra made savvy investments, and had a remarkable discipline. The Deol family’s combined fortune is thought to surpass Rs 1,000 crore, solidifying their status as one of India’s most powerful cinematic dynasties.