If your TRP for Sunday nostalgia is higher than your salary hike, brace yourself, TV’s OG Karna, Pankaj Dheer, has signed off, leaving a whole generation teary-eyed. For everyone who remembers epic Mahabharat weekends, mom’s chai, and that unmistakable golden armour, this news stings deeper than getting the remote snatched mid-scene. Dheer wasn’t just a character; he was the face behind every “loyalty vs. destiny” WhatsApp forward before WhatsApp even existed! Let’s break down why today has the feels, the real, collective, “hum sab ka heartbreak” type.
1) The News, The Timeline, The Truth
- Pankaj Dheer, our timeless Karna, passed away on October 15, 2025, at age 68 after a long battle with cancer. No rumors, just confirmed facts straight from his closest circle and industry fam. Friends like Ashoke Pandit, CINTAA, and a flurry of fans poured tributes since morning. Final rites happened in Mumbai’s Vile Parle (W) with his son Nikitin Dheer leading the rituals—celeb peers attended, and every social feed turned a subtle shade of grief.
Image courtesy Moneycontrol
2) The Karna That Lived Beyond The Screen
- This man wasn’t just a Mahabharat character; his Karna stayed with us like Sunday reruns on Doordarshan and maa’s crispy pakoras. Pankaj Dheer’s iconic portrayal in B.R. Chopra’s 1988 Mahabharat defined the epic era itself and made Karna everyone’s underdog hero, a tragic king in shiny gold. His face showed up in school textbooks, inspired temple idols, and basically blurred every line between pop culture and legend, desi-style. Fun fact: Recent reunion episodes with old Mahabharat co-stars had everyone binge-watching their favorite scenes (and, let’s be honest, sending each other memes of that iconic bow pose).
3) Beyond Mythology: The Film & TV Graph You Probably Forgot
- Missed him in all those throwback Bollywood flicks? Dheer wasn’t a one-show wonder, ya. Whether it was movies like Sanam Bewafa, Soldier, or Baadshah, he was the reliable don/cop/authority vibing in the background, giving 90s kids drama for days. His TV journey? Hello, from Chandrakanta’s palace drama to The Great Maratha history lessons, straight to Sasural Simar Ka territory—multi-decade consistency, sab kuch. He even served as a CINTAA office-bearer and was mentor material off-camera; that’s some industry respect.
Image courtesy Times of India
4) The Internet’s Grief + A Collective Nostalgia Trip
- Today, Instagram reels and X feeds are full of throwback Mahabharat GIFs, tribute threads, and fan notes with that “yeh toh apne ghar jaise lagte the” vibe. Emotional tributes from celebs and fans alike flooded timelines, and those viral visuals from his final journey got everyone sharing their nostalgia hits from past episodes. Big love went out for his top Karna moments—duels, dialogues, and all that feels. Sprinkle in evergreen TV cameos (remember that sneaky comeback in Chandrakanta?) and your rewatch list is already sorted for the week.
Image courtesy MovieTalkies
5) What To Revisit Tonight (And Why It’ll Still Hit)
- No better tribute than lining up the best-of: Start with Mahabharat’s Karna-vs-Arjun duels, those moving charity scenes, and the iconic chariot showdown, underrated masterclasses in TV acting. For the vintage feels, rewatch Dheer’s royal gravitas in Chandrakanta (yep, that’s him!) or catch his blend of antagonist/mentor in 90s Bollywood gems like Sanam Bewafa. Recently, a vlog reunion feature has fans in their feelings, cue tea, pakoras, YouTube queue, aur kya chahiye?
The Final Scene
Pankaj Dheer gave us a Karna who was both valiant and heartbreakingly real; he played out every desi kid’s favourite moral dilemma, all in golden armour and with his signature calm gaze. His performance still lives rent-free in our memories, echoing every time “loyalty v/s destiny” discussions pop up.