Dharmendra, one of the most iconic figures in Hindi cinema, has passed away aged 89, generating an outpouring of grief across the Bollywood film industry. As of now there is no publicly confirmed single cause of death, the actor’s final years were beset by numerous health struggles and suggest it might have been multiple things. His absence leaves behind not just a legacy of cinematic brilliance, but also a vast fortune and a close knit Deol family mourning their patriarch. Dharmendra Health Struggles, Unclear Cause of Death In the weeks leading up to his death, Dharmendra reportedly faced repeated hospital admissions, mainly reportedly due to respiratory difficulties. Moreover, he was reportedly admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on 31 October after complaining of breathlessness. Furthermore, later reports in November suggested his condition worsened, with some sources reporting that he was placed on ventilator support. However, his family repeatedly clarified that while he was under observation and slammed the media for reporting wrong facts, there was no public confirmation of a definitive cause of death. According to reports, in mid November, Dharmendra was discharged from hospital and brought home to continue his recovery under medical care, as confirmed by his treating doctor. The hospital’s senior physician, Dr Pratit Samdani, stated that the decision to treat him at home was made by his family. His family also denied circulating reports of his death, calling social media speculations false news. Beyond these recent episodes, Dharmendra’s longstanding health issues paint a more complex picture. Per reports, between 2015 and 2020 he suffered from back pain, muscle strain, and general physical weakness, leading to occasional hospital stays. The reports also mention that in 2025 he underwent a corneal transplant for his left eye, though that particular claim is still unverified. In all, while Dharmendra’s final decline was clearly and presumably tied to chronic age-related ailments and acute respiratory distress, no formal medical bulletin pinpointed a specific cause of death. His prolonged frailty and repeated hospitalisations suggest that it was a culmination of issues, rather than a single ailment, which ultimately led to his passing. However, his family’s statement in the coming days might give clarity on the real cause of death. READ MORE: Fiery Crash: 42 Indian Pilgrims Feared Dead as Bus Collides with Diesel Tanker in Massive Explosion in Saudi Arabia Dharmendra Legacy: Films and Net Worth On screen Dharmendra was the very picture of action hero charisma and romantic sincerity. He broke into films in the early 1960s and went on to appear in more than 300 pictures. Perhaps his most famous role was as Veeru in the 1975 classic Sholay, a part that lodged itself in the nation’s imagination and remains a cultural touchstone. And after that for years, he moved effortlessly between rugged action films and sensitive romantic parts, sharing the screen with leading contemporaries and later supporting a new generation of actors, including his own sons. His ease with comedy, drama and action made him one of the few actors to enjoy sustained stardom across several eras of Hindi cinema. Off screen Dharmendra’s family life was also much in the public eye. He is survived by his wife Hema Malini, herself an acclaimed actress and public figure, and by children who followed him into show business. His sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol are established stars, and his daughter Esha Deol is an actor as well. Financially speaking, Dharmendra leaves behind what reports describe as a massive estate. Reports that have examined his holdings estimate his net worth in the hundreds of crores of rupees which translates to millions of pounds. Recent valuations place his wealth in a range that many reports peg between around Rs 335 crore to figures as high as Rs 450 crore (£38. 4 million), made mainly by property holdings that include a large farmhouse and residential properties in Maharashtra and Mumbai as per reports. Exact figures vary by source, but there is no doubt that the actor amassed a lot of wealth over a career that spanned nearly 60 years. As India and the world remember Dharmendra, it is the combination of his screen work, his larger-than-life persona, and his role as the patriarch of one of Bollywood’s most famous families that will be most keenly felt.
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