Veteran actor Dharmendra, 89, was discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday and will continue his treatment at home, hospital officials confirmed.
The actor had been admitted to the hospital on October 31 after complaining of breathlessness. Early Wednesday morning, an ambulance was seen leaving the hospital for his residence. Dr. Prof Pratit Samdani, who was treating Dharmendra, told NDTV, “Dharmendraji has been discharged from the hospital around 7:30 a.m. His treatment will continue at home as the family has decided to provide home care.”
Dharmendra’s family also issued a statement confirming his discharge and requested privacy. “Mr. Dharmendra has been discharged and will continue his recovery at home. We kindly request the media and public to refrain from speculation and respect his and the family’s privacy. We appreciate everyone’s love, prayers, and good wishes for his continued recovery, health, and long life,” the statement read.
The development came after several media portals on Tuesday erroneously reported the actor’s death. Dharmendra’s daughter, Esha Deol, dismissed the false reports, saying, “My father is stable and recovering. We request everyone to give our family privacy. Thank you for the prayers for papa’s speedy recovery.”
Dharmendra’s second wife, Hema Malini, also condemned the misinformation, calling it “extremely disrespectful and irresponsible,” and urged the media to respect the family’s need for privacy. Sunny Deol’s team added that the senior actor is responding to treatment and the family is “hoping for a miracle.”
Sources close to the family said Dharmendra had been on ventilator support since November 10 and was reportedly in critical condition. Several film stars, including Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, and Aamir Khan with his partner Gauri Spratt, visited him at the hospital in recent days.
Dharmendra, one of Bollywood’s most celebrated matinee idols, is known for classics such as Sholay, Dharam Veer, Chupke Chupke, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, and Dream Girl. He was last seen in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya alongside Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon, and will next appear in Ikkis, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, scheduled for release on December 25.
With inputs from NDTV