Sholay actor Amitabh Bachchan pens an emotional tribute to his 'Veeru': 'Leaving behind a silence….'

Dharmendra’s passing on November 24, 2025, sparked an outpouring of tributes from Bollywood’s biggest stars. Amitabh Bachchan, his Sholay co-star, shared a poignant tribute on his blog Monday night, honoring their decades-long friendship. “Another valiant giant has left us… leaving behind a silence with an unbearable sound,” he wrote, celebrating Dharmendra’s humility and warmth.

Emotional tribute to Dharmendra

Talking about Dharmendra, Amitabh wrote, "Dharam ji, the epitome of greatness, ever linked not only for his renowned physical presence, but for the largeness of his heart, and its most endearing simplicity. He brought with him the earthiness of the village in Punjab he came from, and remained true to its temperament, unsoiled throughout his glorious career, in a fraternity that witnessed changes every decade. The fraternity underwent changes, not him. His smile, his charm and his warmth, extending to all that came in his vicinity, a rarity in the profession.

Amitabh and Dharmendra’s friendship

Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra’s on-screen chemistry began with Dost (1974), followed by hits like Chupke Chupke and Sholay (1975), and later Naseeb, Ram Balram, and Hum Kaun Hain. Ending his tribute with haunting elegance, Amitabh wrote: “The air about us swings vacant, a vacuum that shall ever remain vacuus.”

Dharmendra passes away leaving an indelible mark

Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, 89, passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025, at his Juhu residence after battling age-related health issues. Earlier this month, he was hospitalized for respiratory complications but was discharged on November 12. False reports of his death on November 10 were denied by his family. Dharmendra’s funeral took place at Mumbai’s Pawan Hans Crematorium, attended by Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan.

Bollywood stars, including Karan Johar, Kiara Advani, Alia Bhatt, Rajinikanth, Shilpa Shetty, Anupam Kher, and Priyanka Chopra, flooded social media with heartfelt tributes after Dharmendra’s passing, celebrating his legacy as the "He-Man of Indian cinema".