Segun Atanda/
Nigeria has lost a beloved screen icon, not a Nollywood star, but one whose face lit up cinema halls across the country long before home videos and streaming: Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol, the Bollywood legend adored by Nigerian audiences in the 1970s and 1980s. He died in Mumbai at the age of 89, ending a golden chapter in global cinema history.
For many Nigerians who grew up in that era, Dharmendra was not just an Indian actor, he was a household name, a larger-than-life hero whose movies packed theatres from Lagos Island to Kano, Ibadan, Onitsha, Kaduna and Port Harcourt. At a time when Indian films dominated Nigerian cinemas, his posters were fixtures at Odeon Cinema, Casino, Kingsway, Rex, Rainbow, and other iconic halls, drawing crowds who followed the stories, the songs, and above all, the star power.
Long before Bollywood gained global streaming fame, Dharmendra’s action-romantic persona captivated Nigerian fans. He acted alongside other giants adored in Nigeria – Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Parveen Babi, and his famed on-screen partner and later wife, Hema Malini.
One of his most cherished films among Nigerians was The Burning Train, which became a sensation in the 1980s, playing repeatedly in cinemas and later on VHS tapes passed from home to home. So popular were Indian movies at the time that many Nigerians, across tribes and faiths, could hum their soundtracks, even without understanding the language.
His role as Veeru in the 1975 blockbuster Sholay further cemented his legendary status. Among cinema-goers in Nigeria, he was hailed for his charisma, humour, and action flair, earning him the nickname “He-Man,” a title that stuck both in India and among his West African fan base.
Born on 8 December 1935 in Punjab, Dharmendra rose from humble beginnings to feature in more than 300 films across six decades. His breakthrough in Bandini (1963) set him on a path to superstardom, eventually winning major honours including the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1997) and the Padma Bhushan (2012), India’s third-highest civilian award.
He shared the screen, and deep affection, with Hema Malini, one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, whom he married in 1980. He remained active into his later years, appearing in films with his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol, and maintaining a devoted fan base worldwide.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led tributes on Friday, describing his death as “the end of an era.”
Though thousands of miles away, Dharmendra’s passing resonates deeply in Nigeria, especially among those who grew up in the golden age of cinema culture. Before Nollywood, before cable TV, and decades before streaming, Indian films were the backbone of Nigerian entertainment, and Dharmendra was one of the kings of that era.
For many, his death rekindles memories of packed halls, roaring applause, and audiences cheering him on as he fought villains, sang love duets, and leapt into blazing action sequences.
He leaves behind his wife, Hema Malini, his children, and millions of fans across continents, including Nigeria, where his legacy remains etched in the nation’s cultural memory.
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