Dharmendra dies aged 89 marking the end of a six-decade Bollywood career

Highlights:

• Dharmendra dies at 89 at his Mumbai home after a month of health struggles
• Actor had been in and out of Breach Candy hospital for respiratory problems
• Ambulance seen outside his Juhu residence this morning, raising early concern
• Tributes from PM Modi, colleagues, and fans started within minutes
• His final film, Ikkis, now becomes his last screen appearance

Dharmendra’s death news broke early on Monday, confirming the veteran actor had passed away at 89 after weeks of health trouble and a fresh scare tied to a respiratory complication. The long-time star, loved across generations, died at his Mumbai residence, ending a six-decade run that shaped Hindi cinema in ways still felt today.

Veteran actor Dharmendra dies at 89 after weeks of health complications in Mumbai Getty Images

Why Dharmendra’s death news shook the industry

According to a neighbour, the ambulance arrived “quietly, just after sunrise”, and by the time officials confirmed the news, messages had already flooded in.

He had been admitted to Breach Candy hospital earlier this month. Ageing had slowed him down, but colleagues often said the spark never left.

For many, his death is not just another headline. It is the end of a familiar face in films that ran on every channel, every festival, every Sunday afternoon.

How Dharmendra built a career that rarely dipped

He first appeared on screen in 1960. From there, he just kept going, one film after another. Some were love stories, some were loud action pieces, some were light comedies, stacking up more than 300 titles.

Dharmendra dies aged 89 as film industry mourns the loss of a Hindi cinema iconGetty Images

Awards followed, but rarely defined him. He won the Padma Bhushan in 2012, although the Filmfare lifetime award had come much earlier. Even in his late 80s he was acting. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023 had viewers talking again about how steady he still was on screen. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya in 2024 had him playing a gentle grandfather. Ikkis, with Agastya Nanda, now stands as his final film.

Dharmendra receives the Padma Bhushan award

What happens next as tributes continue

PM Narendra Modi called it “the end of an era in Indian cinema”, and many others shared the same line in their own words. He is survived by Hema Malini, his first wife Prakash Kaur, and their children — Sunny, Bobby, Esha, Ahana. People around him said the house feels different already. The films will keep running on TV, they always do, but he is not there to laugh about them anymore.