4 days ago
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Indian movie prima and Bollywood icon Dharmendra has died aged 89.
One of the nation's astir fashionable actors, helium was a defining beingness successful Indian cinema successful the 1970s and 1980s.
A elder police authoritative who spoke to Dharmendra's doc confirmed the star's death, conscionable days earlier his 90th birthday, connected information of anonymity.
Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has joined those paying tribute to the Punjabi icon, who besides worked arsenic a shaper and politician.
Mr Modi said: "He was an iconic movie personality, a phenomenal histrion who brought charm and extent to each relation helium played.
"The mode successful which helium played divers roles struck a chord with countless people."
Known arsenic India's He-Man, helium was often formed arsenic a larger-than-life hero; upright, patriotic and fearless.
He was often compared to Hollywood contemporaries James Dean and Paul Newman, according to the Hindustan Times.
But helium was fashionable arsenic a romanticist lead, too, often appearing alongside Hema Malini, with whom helium acted successful much than 2 twelve films.
Their on-screen chemistry was existent capable and the brace aboriginal married.
He appeared alongside her successful Sholay - a 1975 rotation connected the spaghetti western, regarded arsenic 1 of India's top films.
He's besides remembered for the 1975 romanticist drama Chupke Chupke, and the 1971 enactment play Mera Gaon Mera Desh.
His last movie volition beryllium the warfare biopic Ikkis, which is yet to beryllium released.
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"I ne'er thought I would travel this far," helium said successful a 2021 interrogation with Indian quality website Rediff.
Born successful 1935, the histrion grew up successful a farming family, and was conscionable 19 erstwhile helium joined his archetypal wife, Prakash Kaur.
He moved to Mumbai successful the precocious 1950s and made his Bollywood debut successful 1960, with his archetypal quality alongside Malini coming successful 1970's Tum Haseen Main Jawaan.
Their matrimony successful 1980 was controversial, however, since Dharmendra ne'er divorced his archetypal woman and continued to unrecorded with her, portion Malini lived separately.
Local media claimed helium concisely converted to Islam earlier his 2nd marriage, due to the fact that Indian instrumentality lone allows polygamy for Muslims.
But helium aggressively denied the assertion erstwhile helium ran for nationalist bureau successful 2004, saying: "I americium a Hindu. The question of my having ever changed religion does not exist."
He would spell connected to beryllium elected to the Indian parliament for the blimpish Bharatiya Janata Party, representing a Rajasthan spot from 2004 to 2009.
Dharmendra was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honour, successful 2012, successful designation of his publication to Indian cinema.
He is survived by his wives, children and grandchildren.
He had 4 children with his archetypal wife, including 2 sons who would travel successful his footsteps arsenic actors - Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol.
With Malini helium had 2 daughters, including Bollywood histrion Esha Deol.
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