Pankaj Dheer was earning ‘just Rs 300 a month’ before ‘Mahabharat’; Mukesh Khana recalls the late actor’s hardships |

Pankaj Dheer, the actor whose iconic role of Karna in B.R. Chopra’s ‘Mahabharat’ has been etched into millions of hearts, left the mortal world on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, after battling cancer. His sudden demise sent waves of shock and grief through the industry. Several stars mourned the late actor, recently ‘Shaktimaan’ fame Mukesh Khanna, who also worked with Pankaj Dheer in Mahabharat, shared a heartfelt tribute for him. In a video message, he recalled the late actor’s hardships, despite his filmy background.

Mukesh Khanna speaks about Pankaj Dheer’s humble beginnings

Mukesh Khanna, who played Bhisham Pitamah in ‘Mahabharat’, expressed his sorrow on the sudden demise of Pankaj Deer. He revealed that before becoming a part of B.R. Chopra’s magnum opus, Pankaj Dheer worked behind the camera. Mukesh shared that Pankaj Dheer started his journey in Bollywood by working as an assistant director on his first film, ‘Roohi,’ and his pay was only Rs 300 a month.“Pankaj Dheer began his career as an assistant director on my first film ‘Roohi,’ earning just Rs 300 a month at the time,” he said before adding, “I remember him working very honestly and energetically on set. His way of speaking was also very good; he spoke in a very stylized way.”He mentioned that Dheer’s father had an association with the industry, but the late actor had to face his fair share of challenges. “Although his father was also associated with the film industry, Pankaj has struggled in the industry. He faced many hardships,” he mentioned.

Pankaj Dheer – A legacy

Pankaj Dheer was a famous personality both on the big and small screens. He ruled the television industry with ‘Mahabharat,’ ‘Chandrakanta,’ and more, and when it came to movies, he shared the screen with names like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and more.