(MENAFN- IANS) Mumbai Oct 21 (IANS) Bollywood veteran star Pankaj Dheer passed away on the 15th of October, leaving the nation in a state of shock. The Dheer family, who have been missing the actor on the occasion of Diwali, took to social media in expressing their grief.

Pankaj Dheer's daughter-in-law and actress Kratika Sengar recently shared a story on social media where she expressed how difficult it was to get through the festival without her father-in-law. Sharing a picture of a diya lit on Diwali, Kratika wrote, "Only when you lose someone you love, you realise how heavy the festivals can feel," along with the heartbroken emoji.

Pankaj Dheer passed away following a battle with cancer, as per reports. The actor had reportedly undergone a surgery as a part of the treatment recently. The Indian Film and Television Fraternity gathered in Mumbai on the 17th of October to pay their last respects to the veteran actor. A prayer meet was organised by the Dheer family and was attended by several industry colleagues and friends, who came together to honour his memory and contributions to Hindi cinema.

Among those present at the meet were filmmaker Rohit Shetty; actors Sharad Saxena, Suresh Oberoi, Isha Deol, Zayed Khan, Tanvi Azmi, Mohit Raina, Aditya Pancholi, Mukesh Rishi, Puneet Issar, Ashok Pandit, and Mukesh Khanna, among others. For the uninitiated, Pankaj Dheer was best known for his portrayal as Karna in B. R. Chopra's iconic television series Mahabharat.

The actor passed away on the 15th of October at the age of 68. Despite his illness, Dheer remained active at work. His career spanned over four decades, where Dheer worked extensively across film and television. Apart from the television show Mahabharat, he was also known for his roles in popular television series like Chandrakanta, Bado Bahu, Sasural Simar Ka and others.

In Bollywood, he delivered memorable performances in movies like Baadshah, Soldier, Zameen and others. The actor is survived by his wife, Anita Dheer; son, Niketan Dheer; and daughter-in-law, Kratika Sengar.

Niketan Dheer is also an actor just like his father and is popularly known for his role of Thangabali in the movie Chennai Express.

Kratika Sengar is an actress in the television industry. Pankaj Dheer also has a three-year-old granddaughter, Devika.

–IANS

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