Why Dharmendra had gifted ancestral property worth Rs 50 million to nephew: A tribute to his roots

Truly a son of the soil, even if he was one of the biggest stars.

Veteran actor Dharmendra, who died recently, never lost his connection to his homeland. The actor missed his ancestral home in Dangon, about 25 kilometres from Ludhiana. His Bollywood schedule often kept him away, but whenever possible, he returned to his roots.

Though Dharmendra had left Dangon decades ago, first for his father’s job transfers and later for films, his extended family remained in the village, tending to the land. About a decade ago, during one of his visits, he formally handed over the ancestral property to his cousin, who had been looking after it in his absence.

As quoted by New Indian Express, Dharmendra’s nephew Buta Singh Deol recalled, “He came to the village in 2015–16 when he transferred 19 kanal and three marla of land (1 acre is 8 kanal) to my father Manjit Singh and my uncle Shingara Singh, who has since passed away. Since he had left for Mumbai decades ago, our family has been taking care of the land and tilling it. He never forgot his roots or us.” According to multiple reports, the land and the house on it are currently worth Rs 5 crore.

Despite his celebrity status, Dharmendra never forgot his family and childhood friends in Punjab. He continued visiting the village, most recently in 2019 when his son Sunny Deol was contesting the parliamentary elections from Gurdaspur, with family members accompanying him for support.

Regular family visits to Mumbai were also part of the tradition, where Dharmendra’s relatives would update him on the ancestral land to ensure everything was in order. A few years ago, he personally came to hand over the property to his father and uncle, demonstrating both trust and gratitude.

Dharmendra is survived by six children, including actors Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, and Esha Deol. He married his first wife, Prakash Kaur, in 1954, with whom he had four children, including Sunny and Bobby. In 1980, he married fellow actor Hema Malini without divorcing his first wife. His daughters, Esha and Ahana, were born to Hema.

In the weeks leading up to his death, Dharmendra had been unwell and was hospitalised in early November. After being discharged, he spent his final days at home with his family. His funeral and prayer meet were attended by numerous Bollywood stars.