Veteran actor and TV pioneer Dheeraj Kumar passes away at 79 due to pneumonia complications
Mumbai, July 15 – Veteran actor, director, and television producer Dheeraj Kumar passed away on Monday morning at the age of 79, following complications related to acute pneumonia. He had been undergoing treatment at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, where he was admitted to the ICU and placed on ventilator support. Despite medical efforts, Kumar succumbed to the illness at around 11 a.m., surrounded by his family.
His family confirmed the news in an official statement, calling him “a gentle soul and a guiding light, who always carried laughter, kindness, and creativity wherever he went.”
From silver screen to small screen
Born in 1944, Dheeraj Kumar began his career as a film actor in the late 1960s and rose to prominence in the 1970s, where he played out supporting roles in quite a few popular Hindi films like Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Kranti, Swami, Sargam, and Souten. He is a well-recognized actor with his expressive performance and dignified presence on the screen, and Kumar made over forty films in both Hindi and Punjabi cinema.
However, it was the small screen where he left an indelible mark. In 1986, he founded Creative Eye Limited, a television production company that would become synonymous with mythological and devotional programming in India. Under Kumar’s leadership, Creative Eye Limited produced iconic series like Om Namah Shivay (1997), Shree Ganesh, Jai Ganga Maiya, Vishnu Puran, and Jap Tap Vrat came to life. These shows gained massive popularity in late 90’s and early 2000s, especially among family audience, and helped define a new era of Indian News television.
A respected industry figure
Kumar was not only a creative visionary but also a respected mentor in the entertainment industry. Colleagues remember him as soft-spoken, humble, and deeply passionate about storytelling. His career spanned more than five decades, during which he transitioned seamlessly from acting to directing, and eventually to full-scale production.
Tributes poured in from industry veterans and younger stars alike, many of whom grew up watching his serials. Fellow producer B.P. Singh called him “a man who watched television not just as entertainment but as a vehicle for culture and devotion.”
Funeral and final rites
The funeral will be held in Mumbai, with close friends and family in attendance. His family has requested privacy during this time of grief and said a public condolence meet may be organized in the coming days to honor his memory.
With his passing, Indian television loses one of its early architects—a man whose work touched millions of homes across the country. Dheeraj Kumar leaves behind a legacy that continues to inspire devotion, discipline, and storytelling excellence.