His legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists, cinema lovers: Majhi on Dharmendra’s death

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday expressed deep grief over the demise of veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, calling him a towering figure of Indian cinema whose contribution will continue to inspire generations.

Taking to ‘X’, Majhi wrote that he was “deeply saddened” to learn about the passing of the legendary actor, fondly known as the ‘He-Man’ of Bollywood. “He captivated audiences for decades with his versatile performances and charismatic presence. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists and cinema lovers,” the Chief Minister said, offering heartfelt condolences to the actor’s family, friends, and admirers.

Deeply saddened to learn about the passing of legendary actor Shri Dharmendra Ji. He captivated audiences for decades with his versatile performances and charismatic presence. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists and cinema lovers. My heartfelt condolences…

— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) November 24, 2025

Dharmendra Deol, 89, breathed his last on Monday. The iconic actor, who had recently been discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, had been under medical care at home before his demise.

With a career spanning over six decades, Dharmendra appeared in more than 300 films, delivering memorable performances across genres—action, romance, comedy and drama. He rose to fame with classics such as Phool Aur Patthar (1966), Satyakam (1969), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Sholay (1975), Chupke Chupke (1975), Dream Girl (1977), and The Burning Train (1980), among many others.

Born in a small village in Punjab, Dharmendra moved to Mumbai with dreams of making it big in films and marked his debut with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere in 1960. He went on to carve an illustrious career and remains one of Hindi cinema’s most beloved actors.

Several prominent personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Rajkumar Santoshi, and Salim Khan, paid their last respects.

Earlier in the day, his daughter Esha Deol was seen at the Pawan Hans Cremation Ground in Mumbai, where preparations for the last rites were underway amid heavy security.

Bollywood and millions of fans across the world continue to mourn the loss of one of Indian cinema’s brightest and most enduring stars.