Veteran actor, producer, and TV pioneer Dheeraj Kumar has died in Mumbai at the age of 79. He was fighting pneumonia and was in critical care at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. He died even when he was on ventilator support due to complications arising from the infection.
His production unit and family had earlier released a statement seeking privacy while wishing for his speedy recovery. “Dheeraj Kumar is with doctors and undergoing treatment. The family wishes for his quick recovery and respectfully requests everyone to give them space during this difficult period,” the statement had stated.
Bollywood Journey: From Actor to Producer
Dheeraj Kumar became popular during the 1970s and 80s, playing major roles in films of Hindi cinema. He played key supporting roles in memorable films such as Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974) with Manoj Kumar and Zeenat Aman, and featured in other box office successes like Swami, Kranti, and Heera Panna. He also played the lead in a range of Punjabi films, sharing the screen space with some of Indian cinema’s biggest stars.
Television Legacy with Creative Eye
Kumar’s impact was much more far-reaching than just films. As the creator of Creative Eye Limited, he had a lasting impact on Indian television. His firm became most famously identified with devotional and mythological programs such as Om Namah Shivay, Shree Ganesh, Jai Santoshi Maa, and Jap Tap Vrat. These shows, steeped in Indian culture and spirituality, connected with viewers throughout the nation.
Creative Eye also ventured into new age storytelling with shows like Ishq Subhan Allah, which became popular for its liberal and bold themes.
Dheeraj Kumar’s work in Indian cinema and television will be remembered for generations to come. A formal statement from the family is imminent.
