Fans of Indian superstar Dharmendra were shocked on Tuesday by false reports of his demise, only to later learn that the 89-year-old actor was still in the hospital, receiving treatment. Multiple media outlets declared him dead, leading to an outpouring of tributes on social media.
Many prominent figures were misled by the reports and quickly shared their condolences online.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X, “Deeply saddened by the demise of veteran actor and former MP Shri Dharmendra ji.” Superstar Chiranjeevi expressed, “My heartfelt condolences on his passing. May his noble soul rest in eternal peace.” These posts have since been deleted.
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This was the second instance within 24 hours where the veteran actor was mistakenly reported dead. However, his family had not confirmed the news and were upset by the false reports.
His wife, actress-politician Hema Malini, and their elder daughter Esha Deol, took to social media to clarify the situation.
“What is happening is unforgivable! How can responsible channels spread false news about a person who is responding to treatment and recovering? This is extremely disrespectful and irresponsible. Please respect the family’s privacy,” Hema posted on X.
“The media seems to be in overdrive, spreading false news. My father is stable & recovering,” Esha said in an Instagram post.
An official statement from Dharmendra’s elder son, Sunny Deol’s team, followed shortly after.
“Sir is recovering and responding to treatment, let’s all pray for his good health and long life,” a member of Sunny’s team handling official communication told Khaleej Times. They added that Dharmendra was admitted to the hospital after complaining of breathlessness.
Sunny Deol is at the hospital with his brother Bobby and son Karan, closely monitoring their father’s health. On Monday evening, his team requested everyone to pray for Dharmendra’s speedy recovery and respect the family’s privacy.
