Bollywood acting legend Dharmendra in the 1969 movie Satyakam. (Express archive photo)
Dharmendra Prayer Meet Highlights: Two days after his passing, veteran actor Dharmendra’s family held a prayer meet on Thursday at Taj Lands End, Mumbai. The ceremony was held from 5 pm to 7:30 pm, according to PTI. The gathering was open to friends, and members of the film fraternity. The Deol family organised a celebration of the late actor’s life with singer Sonu Nigam reportedly performing some of Dharmendra’s most iconic songs at the meet. Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol were seen greeting guests at the event with their entire family.
Dharmendra breathed his last on November 24 at his residence in Mumbai. He was later cremated at Pawan Hans. His final rites were attended by his family members and close friends from the industry, including Amitabh Bachchan, Salim Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, among others.
In the days following his cremation, several actors—including Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Asha Parekh—continued to visit the family home to offer condolences.
On Thursday, Dharmendra’s wife Hema Malini shared an emotional note on Instagram, accompanied by a series of cherished photographs.
She wrote, “He was many things to me. Loving husband, adoring father to our two girls Esha & Ahaana, friend, philosopher, guide, poet, my ‘go to’ person in all times of need — in fact, he was everything to me! And always has been through good times and bad. He endeared himself to all my family members with his easy, friendly ways, always showing affection and interest in all of them.”
She continued, “As a public personality, his talent, his humility in spite of his popularity, and his universal appeal set him apart as a unique icon unequalled among all the legends. His enduring fame and achievements in the film industry will last forever.
My personal loss is indescribable and the vacuum created is something that will last through the rest of my life. After years of togetherness, I am left with myriad memories to relive the many special moments.”
Fondly known as the “He-Man” of Hindi cinema, Dharmendra enjoyed a legendary career spanning more than six decades. He was 89 at the time of his death. He had been admitted earlier to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital for age-related issues.
Dharmendra would have turned 90 on December 8. He is survived by his wives Prakash Kaur, Hema Malini and children including Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, and daughter Esha Deol.
Sunita Ahuja called Dharmendra a 'daryadil aadmi' as she paid the veteran actor a tribute. She also attended a memorial held by Hema Malini at her home on Thursday. Sunita said Hema had organised a Gita path and bhajan sandhya.
Sonu Nigam performed veteran actor Dharmendra's all-time hits at the prayer meet, as per a report by PTI. Deol family held a celebration of the veteran actor's life on Thursday which was attended by Bollywood celebs and close family at Mumbai's Taj Land's End.
Esha Deol's ex-husband, businessman Bharat Takhtani, was seen visiting Hema Malini's home on Thursday evening. He was there to condole the death of her late father Dharmendra. The veteran actor died earlier this week in Mumbai.
Dharmendra's sons and actors were seen greeting guests at his prayer meet with their families.
After Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, filmmaker Karan Johar also attended Dharmendra’s prayer meet. Johar had last collaborated with the legendary actor on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani.
BJP Spokesperson Asif Bhamla shared a glimpse from Dharmendra's prayer meet where he paid his tribute to the actor along with other attendees.
Sharing the glimpse, Asif wrote: "Attended The Condolence Meet Of Legend #dharmendra Ji At Lands End Growing up, Dharmendra ji was the hero every boy wanted to be…The original He-Man. Thank you for inspiring generations. You’ll live on through your films and the love you spread. Om Shanti!"
Attended The Condolence Meet Of Legend #dharmendra Ji At Lands End Growing up, Dharmendra ji was the hero every boy wanted to be…The original He-Man.Among the many stars, actors Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal, Mukesh Khanna, Randeep Hooda, and T-Series head Bhushan Kumar also attended Dharmendra’s prayer meet. The family organised the event to honour the legendary actor’s life and his immense contribution to the Indian film industry.
Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan arrived at Dharmendra’s prayer meet. Their car was recently spotted outside the Taj in Mumbai, where the late actor’s prayer service is being organised. Abhishek had earlier attended the veteran star’s last rites along with his father, Amitabh Bachchan, and his nephew, Agastya Nanda.
Shabana Azmi arrived at veteran actor Dharmendra’s prayer meet in Mumbai. The two recently shared screen space in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani and have previously worked together in films such as Khel Khilari Ka and Mardon Wali Baat. Actress Divya Dutta was also spotted at the venue.
According to reports, Sonu Nigam, who has just arrived at Dharmendra’s prayer meet, is expected to perform some of the legendary actor’s evergreen songs as part of the family’s tribute to his life and legacy.
As reported earlier, Sonu Nigam has arrived at Dharmendra’s prayer meet in Mumbai. The playback singer is expected to perform some of the legendary actor’s most memorable songs. Actors Vijay Varma and Ameesha Patel were also spotted at the venue.
Salman Khan arrived at Dharmendra’s prayer meet to pay his respects. The two shared a deep bond, with the late actor once referring to Salman as his own son. During an appearance on Bigg Boss, Dharmendra had said, “I would say he is my son. I have three sons — all three are emotional, self-respecting, and transparent. But he is more like me, because he is fun-loving and cheerful.”
Speaking at IFFI 2025, Aamir Khan shared a heartfelt tribute to Dharmendra, recalling the warmth and wisdom the late actor radiated.
“I used to go and sit with him often,” Aamir said. “One day, I took my son Azaad along because he hadn’t really seen Dharam ji’s work. Dharam ji was not only a fine actor, he was a great human being — so gentle, like a gentle giant. He greeted everyone with such warmth.”
Calling his passing “a great loss for all of us,” Aamir highlighted Dharmendra’s versatility: “He has done all kinds of genres. We have lost an amazing talent. He had such a command over language, and such grace whenever he spoke at live events.”
Aamir also shared a personal memory: “I was fortunate to spend time with him, and I’m glad I could show him the film Lahore, which I shot with Sunny. It hasn’t released yet, but I showed it to him because it was one of his favourite scripts.”
Among the many celebrities in attendance, Madhuri Dixit also arrived at Dharmendra’s prayer meet at Mumbai’s Taj. She was joined by actors Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi.
In an interview with NDTV, Radhikaa Sarathkumar recalled a memory with the actor and shared: "“I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was shooting with Mr Rajinikanth in Vahini Studio. He was on the next set. We were shooting a fight scene where I was tied to a tree and Rajinikanth had to fight a real tiger because we didn’t have VFX then. The tiger was not very ferocious, and Rajinikanth was also not very comfortable doing that shot. “He greeted Rajinikanth, looked at the tiger and gave it a tight slap with his huge hands. The tiger reacted like a cat. None of us could say anything at that moment." Read here
Shah Rukh Khan, who was present at Dharmendra’s final rites, also arrived at the actor’s prayer meet today, accompanied by his family members.
Govinda’s wife, Sunita Ahuja, arrived at Hema Malini’s residence along with their son, Yashvardan Ahuja. The mother-son duo was spotted outside the actress’s Mumbai home.
Three days after the passing of Bollywood legend Dharmendra, his family has organised a special prayer meet to celebrate his life and remarkable contribution to Indian cinema. Among the many guests arriving to pay their respects were Vidya Balan, Siddharth Roy Kapur, and Aditya Roy Kapur.
Hema Malini has been sharing several “treasured” memories from her life with Dharmendra. The veteran actress posted a series of unseen family photographs on her X handle, featuring herself with their daughters, Ahana and Esha Deol.
While sharing the images, she wrote, “I know it is a surfeit of photos, but these have never been published before, and my emotions are unfolding as I see them.”
Actors Rekha, Sharman Joshi, and Tiger Shroff also arrived at Dharmendra’s prayer meet to honour the legendary star and his six-decade-long contribution to Indian cinema. The veteran actor passed away on 24 November.
Ajit Pawar, along with former CIDCO chairman Pramod Hindurao, visited Hema Malini at her residence following Dharmendra’s passing. During their meeting, they spoke about the veteran actor’s remarkable contribution to Indian cinema.
Dharmendra’s grandson Karan Deol arrived at the prayer meet, where family members and close friends have gathered to celebrate the legendary actor’s life.
Actors Jackie Shroff and Suniel Shetty were among the early arrivals at Dharmendra’s prayer meet in Mumbai. The legendary actor, who passed away on 24 November, is being honoured by his family with a prayer gathering at Taj Lands End to celebrate his extraordinary life and legacy.
Sholay director Ramesh Sippy, who is currently attending the 56th International Film Festival of India, reflected on the loss of Dharmendra and shared an emotional tribute. “It’s been difficult talking about him… it just happened,” he said. “I think he was the most wonderful man, one of the finest ever. That place will never be filled by anybody else. I’m sure we will have other actors who are good, but there will be no Dharmendra again. He was absolutely magnificent — both as a human being and as an actor.”
Bollywood actress Malaika Arora arrived at the venue with her son Arhaan Khan and sister Amrita Arora to offer their final respects to veteran star Dharmendra at this prayer meet in Mumbai.
In the later years of his life, long after the arc-lights dimmed and film sets quietened, Dharmendra found his greatest joy far away from the glamour of cinema—at his beloved 100-acre farmhouse in Lonavala. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world retreated indoors, the veteran actor opened a window into his rustic life, sharing videos from his farm that often went viral. In these glimpses, fans saw not a screen icon but a contented man reveling in the simplest pleasures: tending to his fields, feeding his cattle, and harvesting organic produce with his own hands. The veteran actor lived there with his first wife Prakash Kaur. Read here
Ahead of the 5 pm prayer meet, Dharmendra’s son Bobby Deol, his nephew Abhay Deol, and actor Sidharth Malhotra arrived at the venue to pay their respects to the legendary star.
Three days after Dharmendra’s death, his wife, actor-politician Hema Malini took to X to share a note in his memory. Hema penned an emotional note and shared many pictures of Dharmendra and their daughters, Esha and Ahana. She shared that he was her “go to person” and was always with her, “through good times and bad.” Read here
Gadar director Anil Sharma recently reflected on the fan’s disappointment on not getting a chance to say goodbye to their beloved icon as the family chose to have a private funeral with only close friends present.
He told SCREEN: "Poora bhaarat unko honour deraaha hai, state ki kya zaroorat hai? (the whole world is honouring him, state honour isn’t needed). Not just the country, the entire world, they are getting calls from Australia, Japan, Canada, everywhere. People are celebrating him everywhere. State honour is a small thing for him, he is getting world honour. Unko koi tamasha karne ki zarurat nahi thi, kya tamasha? (There was no need to create a fuss). I understand that fans are in pain right now, but they can celebrate him in their own way.” Read here
Gadar director Anil Sharma spoke to Vickey Lalwani about visiting Dharmendra at his home after the veteran actor got discharged. The filmmaker said, “I went to his home. He had recovered. He would open his eyes and he would even move his hands. He was recovering and doctors were saying that Dharamji bahut strong aadmi hai (Dharamji is a very strong man).” Read here
Recently, veteran star Mumtaz, who worked with Dharmendra in films like Jheel Ke Us Paar (1973) and Loafer (1973), recalled her cherished memories of the legendary actor.
Speaking to ETimes, Mumtaz revealed that she last met Dharmendra in 2021 at his residence. Mumtaz also shared that she tried to visit Dharmendra when he was hospitalised, but she wasn’t allowed to meet the star. “I went to see him at the hospital, but the staff told me he was on the ventilator and no one was allowed to meet him. I sat there for 30 minutes hoping I might still get to see him… but I couldn’t. I left without meeting him,” she recalled. Read here
Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra recalled his memory of Dharmendra and told SCREEN: "As an action hero when he faced a crowd, you believed him. He is a strongman who refused to put up with wrongdoing. When he punched someone, you could feel it land. But he seemed to hit people with a certain amount of regret. There was nothing vicious about it. There was something amiable about him. Now, without him, Hindi cinema is bereft of one of its greats." Read here
Veteran actor Zeenat Aman, who previously called Dharmendra her “favourite co-star,” has stepped forward to fondly recall her experience working with the actor. Taking to Instagram to share a couple of photos of the two of them together on the sets of the movies they collaborated on, Zeenat shared that the world has lost a jewel today. “Dharam ji was always amongst my favourite co-stars, and I am blessed to have worked alongside him in a number of movies,” she wrote. Read here
Revisiting the time she met Dharmendra for the first time on the sets of their film Anupama, Sharmila Tagore told India Today, “He was a caring person; an ordinary man like that. He never acted like a star. That smile, that frankness… he would speak from the heart. He never changed. He wasn’t very talkative. He wasn’t like other actors. He was so cooperative. We did so many good films together. I’m happy we had that time.” Read here
Recently, Ameesha Patel — who played the role of Sakina opposite Dharmendra’s elder son Sunny Deol in Gadar — recalled her last meeting with the veteran star and shared that the Deol family needed privacy when she visited them a few days ago while Dharmendra was admitted to the hospital.
Speaking to News18, Ameesha admitted that she hasn’t reached out to the Deol family after Dharmendra’s demise as the family is already “under immense emotional pressure.” She said, “I don’t want to trouble them because they’ve enough visitors and callers and it wouldn’t be fair.” Ameesha emphasised that the Deol family “need their privacy to be able to grapple with the situation.” However, she added that she will visit them once she is back in India from New York. Read here
Legendary superstar Dharmendra’s demise has affected the film fraternity and his fans deeply. Filmmaker Anil Sharma, who shares a long-standing relationship with the Deol family opened up about the late actor, in an interview with SCREEN. He clarified that the prayer meet for Dharmendra, being held in Mumbai on Thursday, should be called a ‘celebration’ instead. The Gadar director also reflected on the fan’s disappointment on not getting a chance to say goodbye to their beloved icon as the family chose to have a private funeral with only close friends present.
During the candid chat, he confirmed that he will be attending the celebration of Dharmendra’s life, hosted by the Deols, in Mumbai today. “I will attend for sure. But, it’s not a prayer meet, we are celebrating Dharam ji. The entire world is celebrating him. What Dharam ji has earned, he deserves a celebration. It is bigger than any state honour,” he said. Read here
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