A STAR STEPS OFF THE STAGE

DHARMENDRA, EVERGREEN ICON OF CINEMA, DIES DAYS BEFORE 90TH BIRTHDAY

- MPOST BUREAU

Veteran actor Dharmendra, whose luminous presence shaped the course of Hindi cinema over a 65-year career that spanned more than 300 films, died in Mumbai on Monday, just weeks before his 90th birthday on December 8.

The actor, revered as one of the most enduring stars of Indian film history, had been unwell for some time and had been frequently hospitalised over the past few months. He was discharged from hospital on November 12, a day after premature media reports of his passing triggered a strong appeal for privacy from his family. He returned to his residence in Juhu, where he breathed his last.

His funeral took place at the Pawan Hans crematorium in the Ville Parle area of Mumbai, attended by close family members and an array of notable figures from the film fraternity. The rites were conducted quietly, with minimal public presence, in accordance with the family’s wishes. Throughout the day, no immediate statement was issued by family members, continuing the silence they had maintained even as crowds gathered outside the actor's home.

Camera crews stationed outside the gates relied on visual cues as an ambulance and several vehicles drove out before the cremation. Soon afterward, Dharmendra's wife and actor Hema Malini arrived at the crematorium along with their daughter Esha Deol. Many of the late actor's closest colleagues and admirers from within the industry, including Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and screenwriter Salim Khan, were present to pay their last respects. Others who attended included Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Jackie Shroff and Shabana Azmi.