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, 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 charm either - actress Madhuri Dixit described him as one of the most handsome people I have seen on screen, while superstar Salman Khan called him the most beautiful looking man.
Dharmendra always said he was embarrassed by talk of his good looks, attributing them to nature, my parents and my genes.
Born on 8 December 1935 in Nasrali village in Punjab's Ludhiana district in a middle-class Jatt-Sikh family, he was named Dharam Singh Deol by his schoolteacher father.
In a 2018 interview with BBC Hindi, he recounted falling in love with films early and expressed a strong desire to be a hero.
He won a talent contest that propelled him to Bombay, leading to a prolific career that spanned three decades, beginning with his debut in Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere in 1960.
In his lifetime, the actor gave many fine performances, but it will be his role as Veeru in Sholay that cements his legacy as a cultural phenomenon.
Despite never hitting the 'number one' slot against contemporaries, he received accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from Filmfare in 1997 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012.
He was also a politician, serving as the BJP MP for Bikaner, although he was critiqued for not engaging deeply in the political scene.
Dharmendra's impact on Bollywood, with his blend of charm, versatility, and humility, leaves a lasting legacy that continues to inspire many.
