Name: Bollywood legend Dharmendra dies at 89 | BBC News
Uploaded: 2025-11-24T16:50:51.000Z
Duration: 4 min 38 s
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Now to the sad news that Darendra, a Bollywood star whose career spans seven decades, has died at the age of 89.

He was born Dharam Singh Dol in December 1935 in Punjab.

Darendra became affectionately known as the he man of Bollywood thanks to his roles in a string of action movies that cemented his legacy spanning more than six decades and 250 films.

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the star, saying his past passing marks an end of an era in Indian cinema.

Well, we can talk to Rohit Kilnani, who's an Indian entertainment journalist who you have actually interviewed Dharmendra yourself.

You know, yes, lucky me that I got to interview him a couple of times.

You know, people love film stars for the roles that they play, but everybody loved Dharvinda.

The person you love, the man, once you meet him, you will just fall in love with him.

And there was an effortless charm where he calls you home, he feeds you food, he talks about your family.

More than talking about, you know, when we go, we wanted to hear about him, but

There was an instant connect that people had.

You know, people from his village would come to Mumbai, settle in that house, live with him, help him with, you know, his work.

He also, he made both his sons actors, and both are successful Bollywood stars even today.

So to become a movie star come from nowhere as an outsider.

As you know, he came for a Filmfare contest and then, of course, six decades of movies.

He effortlessly transformed from romantic roles to action roles and then launched his sons.

They went through a rough patch and bounced back.

At 89, he lived a full life that we should absolutely celebrate.

You know, he was the first who took care of himself.

He had, you know, he took care of his physique.

What usually happens is that when people come with, you know, that kind of an aura, they usually like to push their weight around.

This was a man who had the physique of he man and he did romantic roles.

He was obviously working out and going to the gym and impressing everyone with his muscles.

But on the other side, he was busy charming all his female fans.

So here there was a solid female fan following that loved him, incredibly, because of the romantic hero that he was.

He was married and then he married the second time to Hema Malini.

He certainly wasn't typecast in any one type of genre.

He really, really extended his acting abilities.

You wouldn't know which one will be a comedy film and which one will be an action film.

He will do comedy and action back to back and both effortlessly.

So he, you could, you could write roles for him where he could use his own charm.

But today if I talk about him, Dharmenda will be remembered more a lot for his films, but

also personally for the loving man that he was.

He only spoke about giving love and he also.

He was living at a farmhouse and he made reels on Instagram.

He was adapting so well to social media, better than his sons.

And that's where we got all the updates on what Dharmendra ji is up to.

So clearly adapting with the time, changing with the time.

Never shy, I asked, I interviewed Bobby Deolay's younger son and asked him, out of the three of you, who has lived a great, colorful life?

Rohit, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.

Rohit Kilnani, who has interviewed Darendra a number of times.

Talking to us on the sad news that Dharmendra, Bollywood actor, who as we were hearing absolute legend, has died at the age of 89.

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Bollywood legend Dharmendra dies at 89 | BBC News

incredible

journey

solid

career