Mumbai- Veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar passed away in a hospital here today. Dheeraj Kumar was popular for his role in Manoj Kumar's film 'Roti Kapra Aur Makan' and for producing television shows like 'Om Namah Shivaya' and 'Adalat'. Kumar was 79 years old. Kumar, who had been suffering from pneumonia for some time, was undergoing treatment at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.
"Dheeraj Kumar breathed his last around 11 am. He had been unwell for some time and was admitted to the ICU on Saturday after complaining of fever, cold and cough," Kumar's close aide and family friend Ajay Shukla told this news agency. Shukla said the veteran actor's cremation will be held on Wednesday at the Pawan Hans crematorium.
Dheeraj Kumar dedicated five decades of his life to cinema and television. Kumar began his journey in the entertainment industry in 1965 as a finalist in a talent competition that also featured superstar Rajesh Khanna and filmmaker Subhash Ghai. He worked in several Hindi and Punjabi films. He made his debut with the film ‘Raton Ka Raja’ in 1970. He later played supporting roles in films like ‘Roti Kapra Aur Makan’ (1974), ‘Sargam’ (1979) and ‘Kranti’ (1981). Kumar was a prominent figure in Punjabi cinema and worked in more than 20 films between 1970 and 1984. He started a production house called Creative Eye Limited in 1986. His company produced many mythological and family dramas such as 'Om Namah Shivaya', 'Shri Ganesh', 'Rishton Ke Bhanwar Mein Uljhi Niyati', 'Adalat' and 'Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyan'.