Veteran Actor Dharmendra Passes Away at 89: Bollywood Mourns Legendary He-Man

On November 24, 2025, the veteran Bollywood star Dharmendra breathed his last at the age of 89 in Mumbai. The actor icon in the days leading up to his death had been hospitalized multiple times, having a battle against age-related ailments.

Bollywood's "He-Man" as he was called, filled six decades with his remarkable career and acted in over 300 movies. His top-notch performances in Hindi films like Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Chupke Chupke, and Dream Girl turned him into a star, a household name. In 2023 he made his appearance in Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani which was a clear indication of his lasting presence in India’s filmmaking.

Dharmendra was an actor who, with his ruggedness, charisma and the ability to switch between genres like action, romance and comedy, became the darling of the Hindi film industry. On the human side, he was always humble, warm, and devoted to his family.

Tributes from Across the Nation

The heartfelt tributes came from political leaders, film industry folks, and the masses:

• BJP’s Sanjay Mayukh and Sudhanshu Trivedi looked back at Dharmendra's era when the actor was a legend of the Indian cinema leading the audience to appreciate the values of India.
• BJP President J. P. Nadda acknowledged that the actor was the one who could make the audiences from different generations to be captivated by his performance.
• The chief ministers and the state heads of West Bengal, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh—Mamata Banerjee, Mohan Charan Majhi, Yogi Adityanath respectively—have conveyed their sincere condolences, recognized his great influence and praise for Indian cinema through online graphics or video.
• Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Kajol, Farhan Akhtar, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar, and other major film personalities expressed their sorrow, regarded Dharmendra as an inspiring figure and a friend.
• Droupadi Murmu and Narendra Modi highlighted the actor's iconic status and the persistent influence he exercised in the Indian film industry.

A Legacy That Will Live On

Dharmendra was more than just an actor; he was the very definition of a cultural hero who influenced the concept of heroism over many generations. He was Mp from 2004 (BJP, Bikaner), besides being known for unforgettable style, amazing screen presence, and loving nature. A heart-throbbing personality he was, his return to the cinema, to the people, and the art world would always be unparalleled.

Dharmendra’s family, which consists of Hema Malini and his sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol who are also carrying forward his cinematic legacy, is the one who now has to cope with the loss. His death came as a great shock to the whole Bollywood—a loss of an era—but then again it was more of an unto death, immortalization through films and personality in the hearts of millions of fanatics all over the world.