Bollywood Mourns: Dharmendra, The He-Man of Hindi Cinema, Passes Away

Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol, mononymously known as Dharmendra, passed away today on 24th November. He was 89 years old and was recently discharged from Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital last week. On his demise, PM Modi paid tribute on social media, calling him an iconic film personality and phenomenal actor. From industry celebrities to fans, all have shown their remorse on the internet.

He was widely considered as one of the most handsome, greatest and successful film stars in the history of Indian cinema. In his 65-year film career he worked on over 300 films. He made his debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere and then gained popularity during the mid-1960s for films like Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Phool Aur Patthar and Aaye Din Bahar ke. Among his popular films are Sholay, Dost, Tahalka, Elaan-E-Jung and Anupama.
He married twice, first with Prakash Kaur who was the mother of actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol and then with Hema Malini who is the mother of Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. Dharmendra was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India from the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan from the BJP. Along with other famous lifetime achievements and awards, in 2012 he was awarded India's third-highest civilian honour from the Indian Government, Padma Bhushan.
Dharmendra was known widely for his charismatic personality. In his early career is was considered one of the most handsome men in the world and widely known as the "He-Man" of Bollywood.

Rediff.com put him 10th in its "Top 10 Bollywood Actors of All Time" list. He was the most successful actor during the 1970s and 1980s in the box office. Salman Khan, in an interview said Dharmendra is the only person whom he followed consistently after his father.

The passing of Dharmendra is considered the end of an era in Bollywood. His humility and charishma today is unmatched in the film industry. As of tributes are pouring from every corner of the country, one thing remains clear, he was not just a star but was a legend whose warmth touched millions.

Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Spiritual, Travel, Life Hacks, Trending, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life!