Dharmendra’s brother Ajit dead

Mumbai: Dharmendra’s younger brother and Abhay Deol’s father, Ajit Singh Deol, passed away in a Mumbai hospital after a long battle with various illnesses .

Ajit who was at one time a well-known actor in Punjabi films, was particularly attached to his nephew Sunny Deol.

Dharmendra who had constantly been by his ailing brother’s bedside, broke down after Ajit passed away.

Ajit Deol had acted in several Punjabi films and some Hindi ones too, including in his nephew Bobby Deol’s debut Barsaat. He is known for movies like Khote Sikkay (1974), and Mehar-baani (1982).

The funeral took place at ‘Pawan Hans’ in Juhu on Saturday morning.

Says a source, “Ajit Deol was in the hospital for complications from a gall bladder surgery. Dhar-mendra had been attending diligently to his brother. He would visit Shaukat Azmiji, who was also in the same hospital and in the bed next to his brother‘s in the ICU, recite his poetry to her and have her recite Kaifi Azmi’s poetry to him.

“He reminded her that he was a great admirer of Kaifi Saab’s work. Dharmendra also reminded Shaukat that she had worked with him in a film called Loafer. She brightened up in his presence, as did Dharmendra’s ailing brother Ajit, in Javed Akhtar’s presence.”