Actor-politician Vinod Khanna passes away at 70

Veteran Bollywood actor and politician Vinod Khanna who was hospitalised due to 'severe dehydration', passed away on Thursday.

A Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Gurdaspur district of Punjab, Khanna, was hospitalised in HN Reliance Foundation and Research Centre, on March 31 this year.

"Mr. Vinod Khanna, who was admitted to the Hospital breathed his last at 11.20 am due to advanced bladder carcinoma," hospital said in a statement.

Earlier, a picture of the actor in the hospital had gone viral on social media, sparking rumours that he was suffering from cancer.

Vinod Khanna appeared in 141 films between 1968 and 2013 and also forayed into politics by joining the BJP. He was Minister of State for Tourism and Culture in 2002.

Khanna made his acting debut in 1968 with "Man Ka Meet" and is best remembered for his performance in films like "Mere Apne", "Mera Gaon Mera Desh", "Imitihaan", "Inkaar", "Amar Akbar Anthony", "Lahu ke Do Rang", "Qurbani", "Dayavaan" and "Jurm".

The actor also received a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 for his contribution to the film industry for over three decades.

He was last seen in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 2015 film "Dilwale".