Dharmendra Passes Away At 89: Here's why the veteran star was not cremated with state honours despite his 60 year legacy

Dharmendra had an experience of over six decades in front of the camera. The moment the name appears or arrives or is even heard, we think of a solid man, the son of the soil, a man with fists of iron and heart of gold. And someone with a tough exterior. But given the actor and his relentless spirit to contribute to Hindi cinema, he was the most vulnerable of the artists who blew the celluloid with his spectacularly vociferous and versatile performances. Dharmendra was more than just An Action Hero.

No state honour for Dharmendra?

The actor breathed his last on November 24 at 89. But despite a legacy that spanned for more than six glorious decades, he was not cremated with state honours, unlike Manoj Kumar, who passed away earlier this year in April.

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The reason comes from the decision taken by the Deol family, who chose to go against it, and wanted to have a moment of privacy. This comes at a time when earlier this month, false reports around his demise surfaced on social media.

Hema Malini on Dharmendra

Dharmendra and  Hema Malini have been married for 43 years. They tied the knot in the year 1980 and have acted in multiple films in their illustrious careers like Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Charas, Dream Girl, Razia Sultan, The Burning Train, Krodhi. In a throwback interview with Stardust, Malini spoke about Dharmendra, how they fight with each other, and her marriage with the star.

She revealed, “We start each day with a fight. We are fighting all the time. It is he who normally gives in, and then we make up. Early in the morning, when he comes to see me, he asks, ‘Why do you have a long face today, and why are you spoiling my mood early in the morning?’ As if I could help it, I was born with a face like this. Then we fight.”