New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed his profound grief over the passing away of Bollywood superstar Dharmendra.

“The passing of Dharmendra Ji marks the end of an era in Indian cinema. He was an iconic film personality, a phenomenal actor who brought charm and depth to every role he played. The manner in which he played diverse roles struck a chord with countless people,” PM Modi said on X.

“Dharmendra Ji was equally admired for his simplicity, humility and warmth. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with his family, friends and innumerable fans. Om Shanti,” the tweet further said.

Minutes after the passing away of the veteran superstar, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, and superstars Aamir Khan and Salman Khan reached the Pawan Hans crematorium to pay his last respects to actor Dharmendra.

All of them were seen in their cars reaching the crematorium amidst heavy police deployment.

Actors Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan and Zayed Khan, and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur were also photographed at the location along with the family of the late actor. Dharmendra passed away on Monday at the age of 89.

The actor, who was earlier admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai, was discharged after he showed recovery.

The actor was reportedly put on a ventilator, as he was suffering from breathing difficulties. The actor used to live at his Khandala farmhouse with his first wife, Prakash Kaur.

This marks another demise in the Hindi cinema industry in quick succession. Earlier, actors Pankaj Dheer, Asrani, Satish Shah and advertising legend Piyush Pandey passed away last month.

Dharmendra was one of Bollywood’s most enduring and beloved stars. He was born in 1935 in Punjab, and began his career in the early 1960s, after he was discovered through a talent hunt competition.

In the late 1950s, Filmfare magazine, in collaboration with Bimal Roy Productions, organized a nationwide talent contest to find new faces for Hindi cinema.

He entered the competition and was selected as the winner in 1958, chosen for his striking looks and natural charm. This victory opened the door to the film industry for him.

The same talent hunt would later go on to discover Rajesh Khanna, one of Hindi cinema’s biggest superstars. Dharmendra quickly rose to fame with his charming looks, emotional depth, and effortless screen presence.

–IANS

sas/mr