MUMBAI: Bollywood star Akshay Kumar on Monday paid an emotional tribute to veteran actor Dharmendra, with whom he worked in the 1995 film “Maidan-E-Jung”, remembering him as the man every young boy once dreamt of becoming.
Sharing his grief, Akshay said Dharmendra was the industry’s “original He-Man” whose larger-than-life presence shaped generations of actors and moviegoers.
Posting a picture with the late star on Instagram, he wrote: “Growing up, Dharmendra ji was the hero every boy wanted to be...our industry's original He-Man. Thank you for inspiring generations. You'll live on through your films and the love you spread. Om Shanti.”
Maidan-E-Jung was directed by K.C. Bokadia. It features an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, Manoj Kumar, Jaya Prada, Akshay Kumar, Karisma Kapoor, Mukesh Khanna, Amrish Puri and Gulshan Grover. This film marks the last on screen appearance of Manoj Kumar, who retired from acting after its release and died in April 2025.