Overview
- An official CINTAA note announced the death on October 15 and said the last rites were conducted at 4:30 pm at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Vile Parle (W).
- Reports and colleagues said he had undergone major surgery and, after an initial recovery, continued treatment when the cancer returned; producer Ashoke Pandit noted recent hospitalisations.
- Puneet Issar, who played Duryodhana, said he had met Dheer two days earlier and recalled their decades-long friendship, while Feroz Khan and Nitish Bharadwaj shared emotional tributes.
- Dheer became a household name with his portrayal of Karna in B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharat and went on to notable work in Chandrakanta, Sasural Simar Ka, Sadak, Soldier and Baadshah.
- His image as Karna has appeared in school textbooks and inspired statues and temples in places like Karnal and Bastar; he also co-founded Visage Studioz and the Abbhinnay Acting Academy and is survived by wife Anita and son Nikitin.