Face2News/Mumbai:

Legendary Hindi film star Dharmendra, who carved a unique place in Indian cinema by acting in more than 300 films—from “Satyakam” to “Sholay”—passed away here on Monday at the age of 89.

Dharmendra had been unwell for some time and was undergoing treatment at a Mumbai hospital. Earlier this month, his family decided to shift him home for continued medical care. He would have turned 90 on December 8. His film career spanned an extraordinary 65 years.

Dharmendra died early this morning, and preparations for his last rites are underway at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Vile Parle, Mumbai.

From Dharmendra’s residence in Juhu, an ambulance and several cars departed for the crematorium. Prominent personalities including Hema Malini, Esha Deol, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Abhishek Bachchan were seen arriving there. Salman Khan and his father, noted screenwriter Salim Khan, were also among those present.

Earlier this month, the family had criticized the media for prematurely reporting his death and requested respect for his privacy. Several outlets had claimed that Dharmendra had passed away on 11 November, but the actor was discharged from the hospital the next day and was being treated at home thereafter.

Many film personalities, including Karan Johar, Kajol, Ajay Devgn, and Kareena Kapoor, expressed grief on social media. Karan Johar described Dharmendra’s passing as “the end of an era.”

Born in Village Sahnewal in Ludhiana Distt. in Punjab in 1935, Dharmendra’s real name was Dharam Singh Deol. His illustrious career of over six decades included more than 300 films, featuring iconic roles in “Sholay”, “Chupke Chupke”, “Satyakam”, “Anupama”, “Seeta Aur Geeta”, and many more. He was widely admired for his versatility in action, romance, and comedy.

Dharmendra is survived by his wife Prakash Kaur, actress-wife Hema Malini, sons Sunny and Bobby Deol, and daughters Vijeta, Ajeeta, Esha, and Ahana.