Bollywood's iconic "He-Man," Dharmendra, passed away on November 24, 2025, at the age of 89 in Mumbai, succumbing to age-related ailments after a prolonged battle with respiratory issues. The veteran actor, whose rugged charm and versatile performances defined generations of Hindi cinema, had been discharged from Breach Candy Hospital earlier in the month following a ventilator-supported recovery but continued treatment at his Juhu residence. His death, just weeks before his 90th birthday on December 8, has triggered an outpouring of grief across the industry, with tributes highlighting his enduring legacy in over 300 films spanning six decades.
Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani led the corporate condolences, posting, X: "The light of Indian cinema dims today, and so does a part of my childhood. We will miss Dharmendra ji in this world, but his radiance on screen will remain eternal." The sentiment echoed widespread mourning, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the loss as the "end of an era," praising Dharmendra's ability to infuse "charm and depth" into diverse roles that resonated with millions. President Droupadi Murmu and Home Minister Amit Shah also paid homage, with Shah calling him a "towering figure" whose heroism blended kindness and simplicity.
Dharmendra's final rites at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Vile Parle drew a constellation of stars amid tight security, with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Zayed Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur among the early arrivals. Sunny Deol, his elder son, performed the last rites, visibly emotional as family members including Hema Malini, Esha Deol, Ahana Deol, Bobby Deol, and Vijeta Deol gathered to bid farewell. Fans thronged the venue, chanting "Dharmendra Zindabad," while police managed crowds outside; the actor is survived by his first wife, Prakash Kaur, and their four children, as well as Hema Malini and their two daughters.
Born Dharmendra Singh Deol on December 8, 1935, in Phagwara, Punjab, he catapulted to fame in 1959 after winning a Filmfare talent hunt that also launched Rajesh Khanna's career. His breakthrough came with Phool Aur Patthar (1964), establishing him as a romantic lead, before action epics like Sholay (1975)—where his Veeru became legendary—cemented his stardom alongside comic turns in films like Chupke Chupke. Honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2012, Dharmendra's filmography blended raw masculinity with heartfelt vulnerability, influencing Bollywood's action-romance archetype and earning him a brief stint as a Lok Sabha MP from 2004 to 2009.
The tragedy compounds a grim year for Indian cinema, following the deaths of Pankaj Dheer, Asrani, and Satish Shah in October and advertising doyen Piyush Pandey last month, underscoring the fading of Bollywood's golden era icons. Dharmendra's last Instagram post on September 26—a poignant reflection with "Dream Girl" Hema Malini—has trended posthumously, while his final on-screen role in Sriram Raghavan's Ikkis alongside Agastya Nanda awaits release. Filmmaker Karan Johar called it "the end of an era," and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren noted his "indelible mark" on generations, as tributes continue to flood social media.