Meet Anita Dheer, Pankaj Dheer's Wife, A Famous Fashion Designer And Mom, His Last Post Featured Her

B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat has a special place in the hearts of its fans. And it was Pankaj Dheer, who, with his role as 'Karna', left people in awe. Pankaj wanted to play the role of 'Arjuna' in the series, but destiny had his part written with 'Karna's role, and he did such an amazing job that even textbooks link back to his photos with the name of the character of the Hindu epic.

Well, Pankaj Dheer recently left his entire fandom and the industry in grief as he passed away at the age of 68, reportedly after a prolonged battle with cancer. There's no denying the fact that Pankaj's passing left a hollow in the hearts of his family members, and amid this, let's reflect on his family life, as a husband, dad, and father-in-law.

Pankaj Dheer: A look at his career

Pankaj Dheer was born in 1956 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was born to C. L. Dheer, who was a well-known director in Hindi cinema, which solidified his interest in the glamour world. He initially wanted to work behind the scenes, but destiny had other plans for him. It was in 1983 that he made his acting debut with the movie, Sookha. Following this, a breakthrough came with his role as 'Karna' in B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat. With his role and acting skills, he had already established himself as a famous face in the television industry by the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Following this, Pankaj Dheer also appeared in shows like Yug, The Great Maratha, Sasural Simar Ka and Badho Bahu. He also acted in several Hindi movies, mostly in supporting roles. Some of his famous movies were Sadak, Baadshah and Soldier. In 2014, he tried his hand at direction, and My Father Godfather was his first directorial project that also featured his son.

Who is Pankaj Dheer's wife, Anita Dheer?

Alongside his extensive career in the glamour world, Pankaj Dheer was a dutiful husband. Pankaj was married to Anita Dheer. The duo tied the knot back in 1976 and had been together until the actor's death parted them. Talking about Anita, she is also a famous face in the entertainment world, not only because she was Pankaj's wife, but also because she has her own professional identity. Anita is a costume designer of Bollywood, and her work has been featured in movies like Victoria No. 203: Diamonds Are Forever, Ikke Pe Ikka, and Boxer.

Reportedly, she has many more contributions in several films, which remained uncredited. Apart from being a famous costume designer, Anita is a dutiful wife, and a doting mother to her two kids. Pankaj seemed not very active on social media, and his last post, which dated back to June 2024, featured a beautiful photo of him with his wife, Anita.

Pankaj Dheer's kids and famous daughter-in-law

Pankaj Dheer and Anita Dheer are parents to two kids, a son, Nikitin Dheer and a daughter, Nikita Dheer. While nothing much is known about Pankaj's daughter, Nikita, his son, Nikitin, followed in his father's footsteps and established himself as a famous actor. He was seen in the famous movies like Chennai Express, Jodhaa Akbar and Shershaah.

Niktin worked with his father, Pankaj, in the latter's directorial debut, My Father Godfather. Niktin is married to the famous actress Kratika Sengar. Kratika Sengar is widely recognised for her role as 'Rani Lakshmibai' in Ek Veer Stree Ki Kahaani – Jhansi Ki Rani. Kratika was also seen in several other television series, and made an appearance in his father-in-law's My Father Godfather. Kratika and Niktin became parents to a baby girl back in 2022, making Pankaj a grandfather.

Pankaj Dheer passed away at the age of 68

On October 15, 2025, reports claimed that Pankaj Dheer passed away, and while his family members have yet to release any statement, his co-star, Firoz Khan, confirmed the news. NDTV reported that the actor was battling cancer for a long time, while as per IWM Buzz, he was admitted to the ICU back in March 2025, as his health deteriorated. As per India TV, the actor's cancer relapsed in the last few months, and he had to undergo a major surgery. However, he couldn't survive and passed away, leaving the industry in grief.

We wish the entire Dheer family strength to deal with this testing time!

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