Mumbai, Dec 8 (UNI) On Bollywood icon Dharmendra’s 90th birth anniversary – the first after his demise – the Indian film industry finds itself looking back at a life that was intertwined with the very evolution of Hindi cinema.
The actor, who passed away on November 24, remains an irreplaceable figure in the cultural memory of millions.
Born in 1935 in Nasrali, Punjab, Dharmendra rose from modest beginnings to become one of Bollywood’s most recognisable and bankable faces. His journey began in 1960 with “Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tera”, but his rise to stardom was swift, powered by a string of memorable roles in the 1960s and early ’70s.
Within a few years, he had emerged as one of Hindi cinema’s most dependable leading men, thanks to acclaimed performances in “Bandini”, “Ayee Milan Ki Bela”, “Anupama” and “Phool Aur Patthar”. Filmmakers of the ’60s favoured him for his uncanny ability to glide from soulful romance to powerful, hard-hitting drama with complete ease.
By the 1970s, Dharmendra had become one of Bollywood’s most recognisable faces. He stepped into rugged roles in films such as “Mera Gaon Mera Desh”, “Jugnu” “Charas” and “Dharam Veer”, which eventually established him as Hindi cinema’s “He-Man”. Films like “Chupke Chupke” and “Dillagi” proved his mastery over comedy, revealing a gentle, affable presence beneath the star persona.
Everything changed with 1975’s “Sholay”, the film that rewrote box-office history and his spirited Veeru became one of the cornerstones of his enduring legend.
He continued to dominate the action landscape well into the 1980s, delivering successes such as “Dharam Veer”, “The Burning Train”, “Hukumat” and “Aag Hi Aag”.
Though the 1990s marked a gentler chapter, Dharmendra staged a graceful comeback in the new millennium through deft performances in “Life in a… Metro”, “Johnny Gaddar”, “Yamla Pagla Deewana” and later “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” and “Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya”.
In 1954 Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur, with whom he had four children: sons Sunny and Bobby Deol, both Bollywood actors, and daughters Ajeeta Chaudhri and Vijayta Gill. In 1980, while still married to Kaur, Dharmendra married his frequent co-star Hema Malini.
They had two daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol, both Bollywood actresses.
In 2004 Dharmendra won a seat in the Lok Sabha (lower chamber of Indian Parliament) as a candidate from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He served in Parliament until 2009.
He stood as one of Bollywood’s most recognisable and commercially potent personalities, appearing in over 300 films during a prolific 65-year journey that united crowd-pleasing charm with lauded performances. His long list of honours, including the Padma Bhushan (2012) and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, reflected both his popularity and his contributions to cinema.
