Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 24 : Legendary star Dharmendra passed away on Monday at the age of 89, marking the end of an era in Indian cinema.
The final rites of the actor were held at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Vile Parle. Acharya Bhupendra Shastri, who performed the last rites of veteran actor Dharmendra, said, "All the rituals have been performed. We pray for the salvation of the soul of the great actor. All the members of the family were present there. No one can fill his space. He was a gem for the country. Vo hamare liye, samaj ke liye ek darohar ki tarah the. He served as a legacy for society. He has millions of fans across the world..."
Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, Ranveer Singh, and Deepika Padukone were spotted arriving at the cremation ground to pay condolences to the Deol family.
Amitabh Bachchan, Saira Banu, Abhishek Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Salim Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan, Rajkumar Santoshi, Anil Sharma, Siddharth Roy Kapur and several others also paid their last respects.
Mehul, the Ambulance driver who took the mortal remains of veteran actor Dharmendra to Vile Parle Crematorium, added, "I reached his residence. Took everything from there and reached the crematorium. I did not see his body. I got to know about his death around 11:30 AM. We reached here from his residence in about 10 minutes..."
The 'He Man' of Indian Cinema had been unwell for some time. On November 10, Dharmendra was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital following a deterioration in his health.
Two days later, Dharmendra was discharged from the hospital as the family opted for home treatment. Sadly, on November 24, he breathed his last at the age of 89.
Dharmendra is survived by his first wife, Prakash Kaur; his second wife, actress Hema Malini; and six children, including sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, and daughters Vijeta and Ajeita from his first marriage, as well as daughters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol from his second marriage.
Dharmendra, widely regarded as one of the most iconic actors of his time, made his mark in Hindi cinema with memorable performances in films like 'Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke', 'Sholay,' 'Chupke Chupke', 'Ayee Milan Ki Bela', 'Anupama', among others. He was known not only for his versatility on screen but also for his contributions to the film industry and for inspiring millions of fans worldwide.
The actor's demise has been mourned across the country, with fans and colleagues paying heartfelt tributes that reflect the profound impact he had on Indian cinema and popular culture.