WASHINGTON — Dharmendra, one of the most beloved stars in Indian cinema and a defining face of Bollywood in the 1970s and 1980s, died Monday in Mumbai. He was 89.

The actor had been in and out of a hospital in the financial capital, Mumbai, over the past few weeks.

A senior police official who had spoken to Dharmendra's doctor confirmed the death on condition of anonymity.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on X, writing that Dharmendra’s passing “marks the end of an era in Indian cinema,” calling him “an iconic film personality” and “phenomenal actor who brought charm and depth to every role he played.”

Born in Punjab in 1935, Dharmendra rose to fame after winning a talent competition and moving to Mumbai, where he made his film debut in 1960.

Nicknamed Bollywood’s “He

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