Puneet Issar says Mahabharat co-star, 'brother’ Pankaj Dheer recovered from cancer, but relapsed last year: I'm in shock

Pankaj Dheer's Mahabharat co-star Puneet Issar expressed shock over his death and opened up on their brotherly bond both on and off screen.

Popular actor Pankaj Dheer, who essayed the role of Karna in B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat, passed away due to cancer on October 15, leaving the entire industry in shock and despair. The actor’s co-star Puneet Issar, who portrayed Duryodhana in the same series, expressed his grief over Pankaj’s sudden demise and recalled their brotherly bond.

Puneet Issar talks about his bond with late actor Pankaj Dheer.

Puneet Issar on Pankaj Dheer's death

In an interview with Times of India, Puneet opened up about Pankaj’s battle with cancer and said, “Pankaj was not just my brother in the show Mahabharat, but also off-screen. Our fathers were friends, and our families have known each other for a very long time. He had been battling cancer for a few years. He recovered once, but unfortunately, it relapsed last year, and he has been undergoing treatment since then. Today, I’ve lost my brother.”

He further spoke about their bond and shared, “Our friendship deepened during the making of Mahabharat. He used to call me ‘Puneetos’, and I called him ‘Pinks’. I had met him just two days ago at his home. I am in shock and at a loss for words. I can’t even begin to talk about the good times we shared over the decades. His son, Nikitin (Dheer), has grown up in front of me.”

About Pankaj Dheer’s death

Pankaj Dheer was a well-known actor, best remembered for his portrayal of Karna in the television series Mahabharat. He also featured in popular shows such as Chandrakanta, The Great Maratha, Yug and Badho Bahu. In addition to his television work, he appeared in several Hindi films in supporting roles, including Sadak, Soldier, Baadshah and Taarzan: The Wonder Car, among others.

Pankaj passed away on October 15. “He passed away due to cancer this morning. He had been in and out of the hospital over the past few months,” PTI quoted producer Ashoke Pandit as saying.

The actor is survived by his wife Anita Dheer and son, actor Nikitin Dheer, who performed his last rites at the Pawan Hans crematorium on Wednesday evening. Celebrities, including Salman Khan, Sidharth Malhotra, Arbaaz Khan, Puneet Issar and Mika Singh, among others, paid their last respects. Salman was also seen consoling a heartbroken Nikitin with a warm hug.