The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will organise a special tribute for veteran actor Dharmendra at its closing ceremony later this week, festival officials have said.

The actor passed away on Monday morning at his residence in Mumbai. He was 89.

"We received the unfortunate news of Dharam ji’s passing away on Monday. A minute's silence was observed at the closing ceremony of the Film Bazaar as a mark of respect. We will also be paying homage to the beloved legend during the festival’s closing ceremony,” Prakash Magdum, Managing Director, NFDC, told PTI.

A scheduled screening of the 4K restored version of Sholay on November 26 at IFFI has been cancelled due to technical reasons. However, the festival will host a session titled, ‘50 years of Sholay: Why 'Sholay' Still Resonates?’ on November 27 with the film’s director Ramesh Sippy.

A motorcycle from the film has been on display in a glass enclosure at the INOX theatre in Panjim since the festival began. Originally showcased to celebrate 50 years of Sholay, it has now become a tribute to Dharmendra, who famously rode the bike with Amitabh Bachchan in the song Yeh Dosti.

"The motorcycle displayed on the festival premises was introduced as a special attraction this year to mark the celebration for 50 years of Sholay. But it has also become a tribute to Dharmendra ji now, as visitors can’t help but recall the iconic song Yeh Dosti and his unforgettable presence when they see it,” Magdum said.

The display notes that the BSA WM20 bike was used in the five-minute song sequence, which took 21 days to shoot.