Legendary Bollywood icon Dharmendra passed away in Mumbai on November 24 at the age of 89 after prolonged breathing complications.
He was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital earlier this month, showed brief improvement, and was shifted home to Juhu to recuperate. However, his health reportedly deteriorated again, and the veteran actor breathed his last on Monday.
He was cremated soon after at the Pawan Hans crematorium; and that sudden, private farewell has triggered a wave of questions.
Despite Dharmendra’s towering legacy, the Deol family chose a completely private ceremony.
Security outside his Juhu residence and at the crematorium was tightened, with no arrangements for fans to pay their respects.
Many were also surprised that Dharmendra, a Padma Bhushan awardee, did not receive state honours; no guard of honour, no ceremonial salute, and no national flag draping, as is customary.
Sources say the family declined state honours after being upset by the false reports of his death that circulated on November 11, along with a leaked hospital video showing him on a ventilator. Sunny Deol reportedly expressed anger at the intrusive media coverage.
On Monday afternoon, an ambulance was seen arriving and leaving Dharmendra’s residence around 1 pm, but with the family remaining silent and security blocking access, confusion swirled.
His death was officially confirmed only after IANS broke the news at 1:10 pm.
Within hours, several top Bollywood names; Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and others; were photographed at Pawan Hans, indicating that the cremation had taken place.
Social media users are also questioning the Deol family’s handling of updates during the final days. After news broke on November 10 that Dharmendra had been put on ventilator support, he was discharged two days later and said to be recovering at home.
Between November 12 and November 23, the family repeatedly maintained that he was improving. Yet more than 24 hours after his demise, there remains no official statement from the Deol family — leaving fans confused, emotional, and demanding clarity.
