Roopa Ganguly Mourns Pankaj Dheer`s Death, Recalls Good Old Mahabharat Days
Updated on: 15 October, 2025 06:24 PM IST |Shweta Shah
Roopa Ganguly breaks down as she remembers Pankaj Dheer
Veteran Bollywood star and Mahabharat actor Pankaj Dheer`s passing has left the entertainment industry in shock. While many mourn his loss, Roopa Ganguly recalled good old days from the sets of the show and called him the "second-most handsome man".
For the uninitiated, Ganguly played the role of Draupadi in BR Chopra`s Mahabharat, and Dheer was seen as the great warrior Karna. She received the heartbreaking news from another co-star, Nitish Bhardwaj (who played Lord Krishna).
The veteran actress mourned her co-star`s demise and shared some fond memories with him from back in the 1990s. The two were not much in touch, and the last they spoke was in 2024.
Roopa Ganguly remembers Pankaj Dheer
"I can`t imagine he left us at this age. I am so sorry to hear this. I don`t know what to say," Roopa said, adding that she wasn`t aware of his illness. Pankaj passed away from cancer on October 15.
"I talked to him over a text probably a year ago. But he never spoke to me about his illness," she said as she broke down in tears.
Also Read: 5 Lesser-Known Facts About Mahabharat Actor Pankaj Dheer
Recalling some fond memories from the sets of Mahabharat, Ganguly added, "Pankaj Dheer was the most handsome man on the set after Nitish Bharadwaj. I used to send him texts calling him `my most handsome friend`. He knew people called him `handsome`. But he`s a very well-mannered, soft-spoken gentleman. Puneet Issar (who played Duryodhan) and Firoz Khan (who played Arjun) were a bit playful (chulbule). But Pankaj was always a reserved person."
She revealed it was some time last year that the two met and shared, "It was years ago. I go to Mumbai for a short period. I inform some of my friends before going over there. I remember one time Pankaj came and met me. And the other time, he couldn`t. But we used to talk over texts on and off."
More about Pankaj Dheer
Apart from Mahabharat, the late actor was also seen in television shows like Sasural Simar Ka and Chandrakanta. He also did a few movies like Baadshah and Sanam Bewafa.
Pankaj is survived by his wife, Anita Dheer, and son, Nikitin Dheer, who is also an actor. Many celebrities from the industry, including Salman Khan and Siddharth Malhotra, arrived at his funeral to pay their respects.
Rest in peace, legend. You will be missed.
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