Shah Rukh Khan bids emotional farewell to ‘father-figure’ Dharmendra, calls his death inconsolable loss: You're immortal

VEteran Bollywood worker Dharmendra, who had been recovering at place after a john major wellness panic attack earlier this month, died at the age of 89 at his residence in Juhu. He was later cremated in the presence of family members and several of the biggest stars in the industry, including Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Salim Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, who arrived at the crematorium to pay their last respects. Shah Rukh also took to social media and penned an emotional tribute, bidding farewell to the legendary actor.Shah Rukh Khan pens emotional tribute to DharmendraOn Monday, Shah Rukh posted an unseen picture of Dharmendra caressing his face and wrote, “Rest in Peace Dharam ji. You were nothing short of a father figure to me… thank you for showering me with blessings and love the way you did. An inconsolable and irreplaceable loss not just to his family, but to cinema and film lovers the world over. You are immortal… and your soul will live through your films and your beautiful family forever. Love you always.”Shah Rukh and Dharmendra worked together in Om Shanti Om, in which the veteran actor made a cameo appearance during the “Deewangi Deewangi” song. From filmmaker Karan Johar, Kiara Advani, Kriti Sanon and Alia Bhatt to Rajinikanth, Shilpa Shetty, Anupam Kher and Priyanka Chopra, several Bollywood celebrities took to social media to express their shock and grief over Dharmendra’s death.About Dharmendra’s deathEarlier this month, Dharmendra was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital after a health scare. Rumours of his death surfaced online, but the family swiftly denied them, confirming that the actor was recovering well and had been brought home for better rest and care. He passed away at the age of 89 on Monday morning at his home in Juhu. Esha Deol and Hema Malini appeared devastated as they left the crematorium after paying their final respects.Dharmendra’s last filmThe veteran actor will next be seen in Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis, where he plays the father of Agastya Nanda’s character. Backed by Maddock Films, the film tells the story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was killed in action at the age of 21 during the Battle of Basantar in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, making him the youngest recipient of India’s highest military honour at the time. The film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Sikandar Kher and is scheduled for release in cinemas on 25 December.