Dharmendra had been discharged from Breach Candy Hospital just 12 days ago, after being admitted for breathlessness. He was due to turn 90 on December 8.
Coming from a family statement is still awaited, but condolences have already started pouring in from across the film industry.
Filmmaker Karan Johar expressed his grief on Instagram, calling Dharmendra “a bonafide legend of Indian cinema” and praising his “incredible warmth” and “massive, mega” star presence.
Johar added, “There will always be the one and only Dharamji … we love you kind Sir … we will miss you so much.”
Known fondly as the ‘He-Man of Bollywood,’ he has been one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated stars for over six decades, with memorable performances in films such as Sholay, Chupke Chupke, Phool Aur Patthar, and Satyakam.
He was last seen in the romantic sci-fi film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya alongside Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon. His upcoming project, Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis, features Agastya Nanda- grandson of Amitabh Bachchan- in his debut role.
The film is slated for release on December 25, 2025.