Mumbai, November 24: Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha expressed his deep sorrow following the demise of his 'first hero,' Dharmendra, who passed away in Mumbai on Monday. Shatrughan took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a heartfelt tribute, recalling fond memories of their time together. His emotional message read, “Heartbroken, deeply pained, and saddened by the loss of our dearest family friend, our elder brother, the people's hero, @aapkadharm.”
He went on to describe Dharmendra as “most loved, a true son of the soil, the pride of Punjab and Maharashtra, a ‘Bharat Ratna’ in the truest sense.” Reflecting on the legendary actor’s humility and kindness, Shatrughan said, “He was a down-to-earth, kind, and humble human being. Dharmendra will forever be remembered for his immense contributions to the film industry. An era of the 'He-Man/Star' has come to an end. My first ‘Hero’ and the people’s hero in the film industry is no more. This is an irreparable and irreplaceable loss to all of us and to the entire film industry. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, well-wishers, and fans during this traumatic time. Om Shanti.”
Earlier, Shatrughan and his wife, Poonam Sinha, had visited veteran actress Hema Malini to inquire about Dharmendra’s health after his discharge from the hospital. Sharing pictures from their visit on his X handle, Shatrughan wrote, "Along with my 'bestest half' @PoonamSinha, we went to meet, greet, and offer our blessings to our very dear family friend, one of the finest human beings, an outstanding artist, and an able Parliamentarian, @dreamgirlhema."
Shatrughan also mentioned that he spoke with Hema Malini about Dharmendra's health, adding, "Our prayers are with them all, and we inquired about our elder brother’s well-being and that of the family too."
Shatrughan's daughter, actress Sonakshi Sinha, also mourned Dharmendra's passing. She shared a picture with the actor on her Instagram Story, writing, "Dharam uncle, we love you!"
Dharmendra’s final rites took place at the Pawan Hans Crematorium, attended by a host of Bollywood superstars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and others. The legendary actor, known for his iconic roles in films such as Sholay, Dharamveer, Chupke Chupke, Loafer, Jugnu, Yamla Pagla Deewana, and Seeta Aur Geeta, was last seen in the film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.
Dharmendra is survived by his first wife, Prakash Kaur; his second wife, actress Hema Malini; and six children, including sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, and daughters Vijeta and Ajeita from his first marriage, as well as daughters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol from his second marriage.
