New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Congress leader and Leader of Opposition on Monday expressed his profound grief over the passing away of Bollywood superstar Dharmendra and said that his demise “is an irreparable loss for the Indian art world.”

“The news of the demise of the great actor Dharmendra ji is extremely heartbreaking and an irreparable loss for the Indian art world. His unparalleled contribution to cinema over nearly seven decades will always be remembered with respect and love,” said Rahul Gandhi on X.

“I offer my heartfelt tribute to Dharmendra. In this hour of grief, my condolences are with his bereaved family, friends, and fans,” he added.

Similarly, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal also expressed his profound grief over the veteran leader’s death.

“The nation has lost a true legend of cinema. I join crores of fans in mourning the loss of stalwart actor Dharmendra. His performances spanning 7 decades left a huge impact on Indian cinema and culture. My condolences to his family and fans in this difficult time,” Venugopal said on X.

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.

The actor had relocated to the town in light of the worsening pollution levels in the maximum city.

This marks another demise in Hindi cinema 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, organised a nationwide talent contest to find new faces for Hindi cinema.

–IANS

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