Leading Bollywood personalities like Anil Kapoor, Karan Johar, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn took to social media to pay tribute to the late star Dharmendra. Fondly called the 'He-Man of India', Dharmendra passed away on November 24, at the age of 89, weeks before his 90th birthday.
Karan Johar remembered the actor and his impact on Bollywood. Karan mentioned the kindness and humility of the actor. He concluded by saying, "And my heart says with respect, reverence and love…. Abhi Na jao chodke…. Ke dil abhi bhara nahi…… (Don't leave me and go, as my heart is still incomplete).
Anil Kapoor took to X and wrote, "Dharam ji was hard to capture in one sentence...Hero, Father, the OG Punjabi, a man who was as keenly emotional as he was mischievous, larger than life but also relatably human."
Sanjay Dutt, who worked with Dharmendra on Mardon Waali Baat (1988), Hathyar (1989), Khatron Ke Khiladi (1988), wrote, "Some people don’t just work in your life… they live in your heart."
While Ajay Devgn hasn't starred alongside Dharmendra, he narrated Yamla Pagla Deewana, which starred Dharmendra alongside Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. Taking to X, Ajay wrote, "Heartbroken to hear about Dharam ji. His warmth, generosity and presence inspired generations of artists. The industry has lost a legend… and we’ve lost someone who shaped the very soul of our cinema."
Neil Nitin Mukesh, who starred alongside Dharmendra in Sriram Raghavan's Johnny Gaddaar (2007), penned a personal note on the actor's passing. Taking to his X handle, Neil wrote, "This loss feels deeply personal. He loved three generations of the Mukesh family, and I often told him that he bridged the void of me never having met my grandfather."
He added, "My grandfather, Mukesh ji, lent his voice for Dharam ji’s first on-screen debut film song 'Mijhko is raat ki' from the film Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, and years later, I had the privilege of making my own debut in Johnny Gaddar with him."
He concluded the note with a callback to their characters from Johnny Gaddaar, by writing, "Today, Vikram has lost his Sheshadri Sir forever."
AR Rahman also took to X and wrote, "A timeless icon whose grace, humility, and strength of spirit lit the screen and touched generations. His art will live on, and his kindness will be remembered."