Veteran actor Dheeraj Kumar, known for films like Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Sargam, among others, passed away on Tuesday, July 15, in Mumbai after his prolonged battle for life in the ICU. It was only Monday that his family had shared a statement stating that he was in a critical condition.
The actor was 79 at the time of his demise. He was admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai due to respiratory issues, but he could not be saved. The actor had reportedly been diagnosed with acute pneumonia and was put on ventilator support in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
His last rites will reportedly take place on Wednesday in Punjab.
Hours before his demise, his family had issued a statement which read, "The family requests prayers for his speedy recovery and urges everyone to respect their privacy during this difficult time."
They also thanked the media, fans and well-wishers of the actor for their prayers.
Dheeraj Kumar, who was rarely seen in public in the recent years, was last seen at the inauguration ceremony of the ISKCON temple in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.
About Dheeraj Kumar
Dheeraj Kumar marked his debut in the entertainment industry in 1965 when he became one of the finalists in a talent contest alongside Subhash Ghai and Rajesh Khanna.
Between 1970 and 1984, he acted in 21 Punjabi film. Besides, he also starred in several Bollywood films, including Beharoopia (1971), Heera Panna (1973), Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974), Sargam (1979), and Shreeman Shrimati (1982), among others.
He then started a television production house named Creative Eye Limited, dabbled in TV as a producer, and last worked in the 2018 show, Ishq Subhan Allah.
