Amitabh Bachchan shares heartfelt farewell to Dharmendra

WEB DESK: Bollywood woke to a wave of emotion this week as veteran actor Dharmendra, one of the industry’s most beloved figures, passed away at 89. Among the many voices honouring him, Amitabh Bachchan’s tribute stood out, a deeply personal message that reflected not just the loss of a co-star, but of a cherished friend.

Bachchan, who shared the screen with Dharmendra in the iconic classic Sholay, wrote on X that the news had left him “shaken and hollow.” His words carried the warmth of a friendship that began on a film set and blossomed into a lifelong bond. Fans remember them as Jai and Veeru, but off-screen, Bachchan recalled, Dharmendra was simply “Dharam”, gentle, grounded and endlessly generous.

He spoke tenderly of Dharmendra’s “unfiltered kindness” and the unmistakable charm he brought from his Punjabi roots, qualities that, he said, remained unchanged despite decades of superstardom. Their conversations, shared humour and quiet understanding, Bachchan noted, were memories he would hold close forever.

As tributes from across the country poured in, Bachchan’s message captured a sentiment many felt: that the industry had lost not just an actor, but a man whose sincerity touched everyone around him. He wrote that Dharmendra’s absence leaves “a silence that will echo for a long time.”

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to X to speak about the legend’s death.

In celebrating his friend, Bachchan reminded fans why Dharmendra meant so much to so many, not only for the unforgettable characters he created on screen, but for the warmth and dignity that defined his life.

For countless admirers, the legacy of “He-Man” endures, carried forward in stories, films and the affection of those who knew him best.