Dharmendra got his break after winning a magazine contest; Sholay, Chupke Chupke never fetched him an award

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Actor Dharmendra was 89. (Photo: Express Archives)

Dharmendra’s big break in 1960

Six years after this, Dharmendra won the contest by Filmfare, and while he was supposed to make his debut in another film. He eventually made his debut in Arjun Hingorani’s Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. The film did not create an impact but in 1961, with the release of Shola Aur Shabnam, the industry took note of the charming new hero. Soon after he was seen in the 1962 film Anpadh, also starring Mala Sinha; and later in the 1963 film Bandini, directed by Bimal Roy, also starring Nutan. This was a landmark film in Dharmendra’s early career.

The next notable film in the actor’s career was Chetan Anand’s Haqeeqat, based on the India-China was of 1962. The film was a major success, with songs like ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo’, and Dharmendra received a lot of acclaim for his work here. Soon after, he was seen in OP Ralhan’s Phool Aur Patthar in 1966, and this was the film that pushed Dharmendra into the big league, and was now known as a bonafide star. Yet, he continued to appear in films that balanced his star image with some credible roles.

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Asrani and Dharmendra in Chupke Chupke. (Photo: Express Archives)

Dharmendra was Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s favourite actor

Dharmendra’s work in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s film Anupama was applauded, and the film even won a National Award. Mukherjee even called Dharmendra his favourite actor as he told Filmfare in 1998, “By favourite actor, I didn’t mean just his acting talent. I meant the human being also. I cast Dharmendra as a professor in Chupke Chupke. He was also in Satyakam, the most satisfying film I’ve made.” Their association continued in films like Majhdi Didi, which also starred Meena Kumari. He also played a fictional version of himself in Jaya Bachchan-starrer Guddi.

In the late 1960s, the Hindi film industry was under the spell of Rajesh Khanna, and during this time, Dharmendra continued to focus on films that balanced his star status and also maintained his position as a credible actor. However, as the 1970s began, and the era of Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘angry young man’ started, Dharmendra’s action films started dominating the mainstream cinema. He played the quintessential hero in films like Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Black Mail, Loafer, among others, but in 1975, his career trajectory changed after he appeared in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay.

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Hema Malini and Dharmendra in Sholay. (Photo: Express Archives)

The most successful year of Dharmendra’s life – 1975

One of the most popular films of Indian cinema, Sholay, had Dharmendra sharing the screen with Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, as he played the role of ‘Jai’. The film went on to create history at the box office, and with songs like ‘Yeh Dosti’, ‘Holi Ke Din’, among others, Sholay found a permanent place in popular culture.

The same year, Dharmendra was seen in Chupke Chupke, a role that many termed as his ‘best comic performance’. Pratiggya, also starring Hema, released in the same year. The late 1970s saw him in other hits like Dharam Veer, Charas, Shalimar and The Burning Train. Despite working in many successful films of this era, Dharmendra never won a popular film award. In 1997, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Filmfare. In 2012, he was honoured with the third highest civilian honour from the Government of India, Padma Bhushan.

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Dharmendra with son Sunny Deol. (Photo: Express Archives)

Dharmendra turns producer with Vijayta Films

Dharmendra’s career took a sharp turn in the 1980s as the film industry went through a major lull. The increase in film piracy across the country, and the changing economics of the business had makers making films in smaller budgets, and many of the stars of the era resorted to appearing in films that were probably not suited to their star status. This phase of the superstar’s career was quite similar to Rajesh Khanna’s, however, unlike Khanna, Dharmendra continued to dominate the screens in the low budget actioners.

As the 1990s came about, and the syntax of Bollywood went through a major shift with the rising popularity of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, Dharmendrs stuck to his guns, and continued to appear in action films. By this time, Dharmendra had established his production house, Vijayta Films, which had launched his son Sunny Deol in the movies with 1983’s Betaab.

After Betaab, Vijayta Films produced many other hits, like Ghayal and Ghatak, and later also launched Dharmendra’s younger son, Bobby, in the 1995 film Barsaat. Ghayal won Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at the National Film Awards. They later made the 1999 film Dillagi, starring the two young Deols, which was also one of the most expensive films in Indian cinema until then.

Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi last shared screen in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.

Dharmendra’s last years

Dharmendra’s return to films happened in the 2000s, when he appeared in 2007’s Apne and Life in a Metro. Apne, directed by Anil Mehta, starred his two sons, and established the star power of the Deol family all over again. In the same year, he was also seen in Johnny Gaddaar.

In the last few years, Dharmendra made an impact in the movies when he appeared in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani. His last film, Ikkis, will be released posthumously. The Sriram Raghavan film stars Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda.