Mumbai: Esha Deol, daughter of veteran actor and Bollywood legend Dharmendra, on Tuesday dismissed reports of his death.
“THE MEDIA SEEMS TO BE IN OVERDRIVE AND SPREADING FALSE NEWS. MY FATHER IS STABLE & RECOVERING. WE REQUEST EVERYONE TO GIVE OUR FAMILY PRIVACY. THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS FOR PAPAS SPEEDY RECOVERY,” she posted in ‘bold’ on her Instagram handle.
Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema’s most beloved and enduring stars, was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital earlier this week after complaining of breathlessness. His wife Hema Malini, sons Sunny Deol & Bobby Deol were spotted at the hospital last evening. Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan also called on the family at the hospital and so did actor Govinda.
The news of the demise of Bollywood’s iconic ‘He-Man’ started doing the rounds last night. While the hospital officially refused to respond, Sunny Deol’s team issued a clarification saying the actor continues to be stable. They also urged people not to indulge in spreading rumours.
However, condolences began to pour in this morning.
Mourning his death, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X: “Deeply saddened by the demise of veteran actor and former MP Shri Dharmendra ji. A versatile actor who brought life to many memorable characters with his unmatched charm and sincerity. His remarkable contribution to Indian cinema will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers.”
Bollywood veteran lyricist and scriptwriter, Javed Akhtar also tweeted, expressing grief over his death just weeks before his 90th birthday on December 8. “With Dharm Ji an era of Indian film industry has come to its end . He was a perfect combination of masculinity and gentleness . Dignity and humility . Charm and power .any one who looks at his body of work will know that he was an actor for all the seasons . He was a kind and a polite person with a heart of gold. My deepest condolences to Deol family . We who have been fortunate enough to work with him will always miss him,” he wrote on X.
Actress Nimrat Kaur also expressed grief over the passing of Bollywood legend, calling him one of the tallest and most handsome pillars of Indian cinema. “My heartfelt prayers and profound grief on the passing of one of the tallest most handsome pillars of Indian cinema. A true Jatt Sikh soul with a heart of gold and a fearless spirit. Deepest condolences and prayers to the entire Deol family and all their loved ones. His iconic legacy is here to stay forever…. Satnaam Waheguru,” she wrote on X.