Dharmendra deserved state honours; Deol family slammed for rushed, private cremation [reactions]

Veteran Bollywood icon Dharmendra passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025. His silent passing and hush-hush cremation have shocked fans and celebrities.

Dharmendra was discharged from Breach Candy Hospital on November 12 and was recovering at home after a major health scare earlier this month. While the family was excited and preparing for his 90th birthday, just 13 days before the milestone, the actor passed away.

The actor's last rites were performed in the presence of family members and several of the biggest stars in the industry. Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Salim Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, among others, were papped entering the Pawan Hans crematorium to pay their last respects.

However, fans are not happy that the actor was cremated silently. Several videos show fans crowding outside his residence, crying, pleading, and wishing to see him one last time. Many even said it was unfair that Dharmendra, who gave over 50 years of his career to showbiz and earned a massive fan following, was taken for cremation in an ambulance with black windows so no one could see him for the final time.

Even the ambulance driver didn't see Dharmendra's mortal remains. In fact, his family members, Hema Malini and Esha Deol, also saw Dharmendra one last time only when the family lit the pyre.
Sunny and Bobby performed the last rites, and Sunny Deol's son Karan Deol was seen carrying Dharmendra's ashes.

Many fans mentioned that Dharmendra deserved a state funeral. However, as per reports, it was Sunny and Bobby Deol who declined the state funeral.

The family hasn't released any statement on Dharmendra's passing away.

The silent cremation was probably due to many media houses prematurely declaring him dead on November 11 when he was hospitalized, as well as paps queuing outside Dharmendra's residence. All this and more likely led to the private cremation, and Sunny and the family have time and again urged the media for privacy.

Reacting to the videos, a user commented, "Jitni jaldi yeh family le ja rahi hai last rites ke liye, lag raha hai bas wait hi kar rahe the."

"He should have been given a grand goodbye... very sad last rites," read another comment.

A user said, "Personal opinion: Dharmendra deserved a grand farewell, with thousands celebrating the life of an Indian icon, an inspiration across generations. Of course, the family's privacy and decisions must come first. But it was the media's rush to push unconfirmed "breaking news" days earlier that likely led to this quiet funeral. A shameful moment for Indian media..."

Shah Rukh also took to social media and penned an emotional tribute, bidding farewell to the legendary actor.

He tweeted, "Rest in Peace Dharam ji. You were nothing short of a father figure to me... thank u for showering me with blessings and love the way you did. An inconsolable and irreplaceable loss to not just his family, but to cinema and film lovers world over (sic)."

Shah Rukh Khan and Dharmendra had not starred in any film together. But the veteran actor had done a cameo in SRK starrer Om Shanti Om. He had featured in the title track of the film.

He further wrote, "You are immortal... and your soul will live through your films and your beautiful family forever. Love you always."

Amitabh Bachchan penned a heartfelt obituary on social media; he wrote, "another valiant Giant has left us .. left the arena .. leaving behind a silence with an unbearable sound Dharam ji, the epitome of greatness, ever linked not only for his renowned physical presence, but for the largeness of his heart , and its most endearing simplicity, he brought with him the earthiness of the village in Punjab he came from , and remained true to its temperament .. un soiled throughout his glorious career , in a fraternity that witnessed changes every decade. The fraternity underwent changes. Not his smile, his charm and his warmth, extending to all that came in his vicinity .. a rarity in the profession, the air about us swings vacant .. a vacuum that shall ever remain vacuus. prayers .."

Govinda's wife, Sunita Ahuja, who was also very close to Dharamji and his family, has spoken about the veteran actor's death.

While talking to Midday, she said, "I was very sad; he was my childhood crush. The last time we met was when I had visited him during Ganesh Chaturthi. Esha Deol had hosted us at their home, and my son Yash and I went there. We met Dharmendra ji and Hema ji there."

"2 years back, we had even shared a stage, and I had danced with Dharamji at a reality show. My heart goes out to the family, and my deepest condolences to them. Dharamji was a legend, and the industry will surely remember him fondly. Matarani unki aatma ko shaanti de," she further added.

Govinda and Dharmendra had worked together in many movies like Paap Ko Jalaa Kar Raakh Kar Doonga, Dadagiri, Zulm Ki Hukumat, Kaun Kare Kurbanie, and others. 

Dharmendra's upcoming movies

Dharmendra's last film, Ikkis, is slated to release on December 25, 2025. The movie also stars Amitabh Bachchan's grandson, Agastya Nanda.

On Monday, before it was known that Dharmendra had passed away, the makers of Ikkis had shared a poster featuring the veteran actor. They had captioned the post as, "Fathers raise sons. Legends raise nations. Dharmendra ji, an emotional powerhouse as the father of a 21-year-old immortal soldier. One timeless legend brings us the story of another