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Many prominent political figures attended legendary actor Dharmendra's prayer meet in Delhi, hosted by his wife and BJP MP Hema Malini on Thursday evening.
From Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to BJP MP Anurag Thakur, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, several prominent political leaders took time out of their schedules to pay their respects to the late actor, honouring his iconic cinematic legacy. Actors-politicians Ravi Kishan and Kanagana Ranaut were also present at the prayer meet. Dharmendra's passing marked the end of an era in Hindi cinema. Over the decades, he earned admiration for his versatility across genres and became one of the industry's most loved stars. One of the most iconic actors of his time, Dharmendra, who left for his heavenly abode on November 24, made his mark in Hindi cinema with memorable performances in films like 'Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke', 'Sholay,' 'Chupke Chupke', 'Ayee Milan Ki Bela', and 'Anupama', among others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was among those who paid tribute to Dharmendra after it was announced he had died at home in Mumbai on November 24. PM Modi said that his death marked the end of an era in Indian cinema. "He was an iconic film personality, a phenomenal actor who brought charm and depth to every role he played. The manner in which he played diverse roles struck a chord with countless people," he wrote on X. Superstar Rajinikanth gave "farewell" to his late "friend" with a heartfelt post, "Farewell, my friend. I will always remember your golden heart and the moments we shared. Rest in peace, Dharam ji. My deepest condolences to his family." The veteran star also worked in films such as 'Kaise Kahoon Ke... Pyaar Hai' (2003) and 'Kis Kis Ki Kismat' (2004), both of which were box office failures. After this, he took a brief hiatus and returned with three films in 2007. These were - Anurag Basu's drama film 'Life in a... Metro', Anil Sharma's sports drama 'Apne' and Sriram Raghavan's neo-noir thriller 'Johnny Gaddaar'. Both 'Life in a... Metro' and 'Apne' proved to be critical and commercial successes. In 2023, he surprised everyone with his stellar performance in Karan Johar's directorial 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'. With his role, he literally proved that age is just a number. A much-discussed highlight from the film was his kiss with co-star Shabana Azmi, a moment that many hailed as a tender, progressive portrayal of love in later years, and one that took audiences pleasantly by surprise. Even Dharmendra acknowledged the much-hyped scene. In a previous interview with ANI, the veteran star humorously recalled a conversation he had with co-star Ranveer Singh, saying, "Maine Ranveer ko bola, Ranveer, Rocky aur Rani ki prem kahani me, tune to bohot kisses ki hain, or meri ek hi kiss ne hila dala logo ko." Dharmendra's footprint stretches beyond the silver screen. He was a Member of Parliament from Bikaner (2004-2009), a judge on the reality show "India's Got Talent" (2011), and has appeared in historical series 'Taj: Divided by Blood'. He was also seen in Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon's romantic comedy 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya', which reminded a new generation of his effortless charm. His last film 'Ikkis' is set to be released on December 25. (ANI)
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