16 July,2025 03:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Asit Modi Anees Bazmee Dheeraj Kumar
Veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar has passed away at the age of 80 in Mumbai. Known for his work in television and films, he had been brought to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and was in a critical condition. Kumar's family revealed that the actor-producer passed away on Tuesday Morning.
Today (July 16), the actor was put to rest. His family and friends from the industry arrived at the crematorium to pay their last respects to the actor. Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's producer Asit Kumarr Modi and actor Balwinder Singh Suri were present. Producer Anees Bazmee, Sameer Naik, Deepak Qazir and Ashok Pandit arrived to bid their final adieu to their friend.
Talking about the actor, Dheeraj Kumar's real name was Dheeraj Kocchar. It was revealed that he was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after complaining about serious breathing issues. The actor was being treated for pneumonia at the hospital. Dheeraj's condition continued to stay critical for the past few days and was shifted to the ICU and put on a ventilator. His health was being closely monitored by a team of doctors, and his family had requested fans to pray for his speedy recovery.
Later, his family confirmed that the veteran actor died at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. He is survived by his wife Zuby Kocchar and their child. Despite being in the showbiz for years, he often kept his life private and stayed away from the spotlight. The family waited for a day before performing the last rites, since his relatives from Punjab were expected to arrive.
Talking about his career trajectory in the Industry, Dheeraj made his debut in the entertainment world in 1965. He was a finalist in a talent show alongside Subhash Ghai and Rajesh Khanna, who went on to win it. This launched his acting career, as he also appeared as a model in advertisements, including those for Vicks Action 500. The actor has been a part of around 21 Punjab films and has also produced various TV shows under his banner. His last TV show was Adnan Khan and Eisha Singh starrer Ishq Subhan Allah.
