Bollywood star Dharmendra has died in the Indian city of Mumbai at the age of 89.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the actor, saying his passing marks the end of an era in Indian cinema.
Dharmendra, who often described himself as a simple man, commanded extraordinary affection and loyalty from his tens of millions of fans.
Best known as Veeru, the lovable petty criminal in the 1975 blockbuster Sholay, he appeared in over 300 films, many hits, captivating audiences for decades.
Songs featuring him topped the charts, and his romance and marriage with Hema Malini made headlines.
Dubbed the original He-Man of Bollywood and Garam (hot) Dharam, the actor often made it to global lists of most handsome men in his heyday and female fans were known to sleep with his photographs under their pillows.
Bollywood stars weren't immune to his charms either - over the years actress Madhuri Dixit described him as one of the most handsome people I have seen on screen, superstar Salman Khan said Dharmendra was the most beautiful looking man and actress Jaya Bachchan called him a Greek God.
Born on December 8, 1935, in Nasrali village of Punjab, he pursued his dream of acting despite family objections after winning a talent contest that launched his career in Bombay.
For three decades, Dharmendra ruled Bollywood delivering several hits a year. From romantic hero to action star, his versatility kept him relevant.
His most memorable role was Veeru in Sholay, which became a cultural phenomenon. Many credited Dharmendra for its success, with him describing it as his finest role.
Despite missing out on the number one status to contemporaries like Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Filmfare and honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2012.
Dharmendra was also a politician, serving as an MP, but often expressed that he was misfit for politics. His legacy, however, endures through his memorable performances and the love of his fans.
Tributes flooded social media as news of his death broke, with Akshay Kumar remembering him as a heroic figure of inspiration, and Karan Johar lamenting the irreplaceable void left in Bollywood.
