Superstar’s sudden cremation raises eyebrows, no state honours, no public viewing; what happened behind the scenes?

Questions remain unanswered after Dharmendra’s sudden cremation

Veteran superstar Dharmendra passed away in Mumbai on November 24 at the age of 89. He was struggling with respiratory complications and was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital a few weeks ago. Although he initially showed improvement and was discharged to his home in Juhu to recuperate, his condition reportedly worsened again, leading to further respiratory problems. Ultimately, Bollywood’s He-Man breathed his last on Monday and was cremated at the Pawan Hans crematorium. But his sudden cremation left many questions unanswered, including why his body was not kept in public for his admirers and why he did not receive state awards despite being a Padma Bhushan awardee.

People were surprised that the Deol family opted for a private send-off despite Dharmendra’s legendary reputation. Security was tightened outside his residence in Juhu and at the Pawan Hans crematorium and no public arrangements were made for fans to pay their last respects. As a Padma Bhushan awardee, Dharmendra was expected to receive state honors, but those gathered outside the crematorium reported that there was no guard of honor and the media was not allowed inside.

A state funeral typically includes official arrangements such as military ceremonies, gun salutes, and draping of the coffin or body with the national flag. According to sources, the Deol family gave up government awards after fake news about his death was published in the media on November 11, leaving the family deeply upset. A leaked hospital video also showed Dharmendra on a ventilator; Sunny Deol had even abused the paparazzi and media outside the Deol residence.

An ambulance was seen arriving and leaving Dharmendra’s home around 1pm on Monday, but tight security and the family’s silence left the situation unclear. As a result, no one confirmed the superstar’s death until agency IANS announced it at 1.10 pm. Over the next few hours, Bollywood big names like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone were spotted outside Pawan Khan’s crematorium and confirmed that Dharmendra had been buried.

Some questions are also being asked about the Deol family on social media. After reports emerged that Dharmendra was put on a ventilator at Breach Candy Hospital on November 10, he was discharged two days later and shifted to his home in Juhu. Between November 12 and November 23, the family repeatedly maintained that Dharmendra was recovering. And now, even after more than a day of his death, there is no official statement from the Deol family, leaving fans confused and disappointed.

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