Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema’s most popular stars, whose versatile performances made him a defining screen presence of 1970s and 1980s Bollywood films, has died. He was 89.
The actor, who would have turned 90 on December 8, had been in and out of a hospital in the financial capital, Mumbai, over the past few weeks.
A senior police official who had spoken to Dharmendra’s doctor confirmed the death on condition of anonymity.
Often called Bollywood’s “He-Man,” Dharmendra combined the old-school heroism of an action star with the tenderness of a romantic lead, making him one of India’s most iconic actors.
Though most of his fame came from roles in which he embodied the archetype of a larger-than-life hero—upright, patriotic, and fearless—his charming performances in romantic hits equally made him popular with the masses.
Dharmendra’s performance in “Sholay” (1975)—Bollywood’s take on the Spaghetti Western and regarded as one of India’s greatest films—earned him enduring popularity.
His role in the Bollywood classic “Sholay,” where he played an affable character alongside Amitabh Bachchan, his co-actor in the film, cemented his status as a superstar. The duo’s on-screen partnership also became one of Bollywood’s most iconic pairings.
His on-screen chemistry with actress Hema Malini, whom he later married, became one of Bollywood’s most popular collaborations, as the pair acted together in more than two dozen films.
Born Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol in India’s northern state of Punjab in 1935, he grew up in a farming family and moved to Mumbai in the late 1950s, making his Bollywood debut in 1960.
Over a career spanning six decades, he acted in more than 300 films.
In 2012, Dharmendra was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour, in recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema.
He also briefly turned to politics, serving as a Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker in Parliament from 2004 to 2009, though his political stint was short-lived.
Dharmendra is survived by his wives, children and grandchildren.
Source: CNN
