Dharmendra, the legendary Bollywood actor, passed away in late 2025 at the age of 89, after a period of illness that had already worried many fans due to hospitalisation and health rumours earlier that year. In early 2026, his family, including Hema Malini and Esha Deol, have been openly remembering him in emotional tributes and interviews, and his final film released posthumously on 1 January 2026.

Quick Scoop: What actually happened

  • Veteran star Dharmendra died in late 2025, with Indian news outlets reporting his age as 89 and describing it as the end of an era in Hindi cinema.
  • Before his death, he was admitted to a Mumbai hospital, which sparked intense speculation and false claims that he was on a ventilator, later denied by his family and team.
  • In the weeks after, official obituaries and tributes from political leaders and the film industry confirmed his passing and celebrated his six‑decade career with over 300 films.

From health scare to confirmed news

  • In November 2025, rumours spread online that Dharmendra’s condition was critical and that he was on life support, forcing his family to clarify that he was under observation but “nothing to worry.”
  • Around the same time, a separate incident involved misinformation and even a brief death hoax online, which was later corrected, highlighting how easily false updates about celebrities can spread.
  • Toward the end of November 2025, credible national outlets reported that he had died at 89, ending the uncertainty and marking it as a major moment of loss for Bollywood fans.

Family reactions and tributes

  • Hema Malini has spoken in interviews about the pain of “seeing Dharamji sink,” her grief, and her efforts to honour his memory with multiple prayer meetings in Mumbai, Delhi, and Mathura.
  • She has also mentioned that the family is considering turning his beloved Lonavala farmhouse into some form of space for fans, with Sunny Deol reportedly planning something along those lines.
  • Esha Deol welcomed New Year 2026 with an emotional post dedicated to her “late father,” sharing photos and a message of strength and remembrance that went viral among fans and colleagues.

His last on‑screen appearance

  • Dharmendra’s final film, Ikkiis , released in theatres on 1 January 2026, giving audiences a last chance to see him on the big screen after his death.
  • In Ikkiis , he plays ML Khetarpal, father of Param Vir Chakra awardee Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, a role critics described as restrained, dignified, and fitting as a farewell performance.
  • The timing of the release, right at the start of 2026, turned the film into both a cinematic event and a collective act of remembrance for his fans.

Why “what happened to Dharmendra” is still trending

  • The phrase “what happened to Dharmendra” keeps trending because fans are piecing together a timeline: prior hospitalisation, debunked ventilator and death hoax stories, and then the confirmed news of his passing.
  • Ongoing forum discussions and social posts mix genuine grief with frustration over earlier misinformation, while also sharing clips, interviews, and memories as his last movie continues to run and tribute content surfaces.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.