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Dharmendra Movies List: Veteran actor Dharmendra, one of Bollywood’s most illustrious stars, has passed away at the age of 89. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour, Dharmendra is widely regarded as one of the most successful actors in the history of the Hindi film industry, having delivered more hits than his contemporaries like Amitabh Bachchan or even his successors like Shah Rukh Khan.
Born as Dharmendra Kewal Krishna Deol in Nasrali, Ludhiana, the silver screen enchanted him as a teenager, and his fate changed when he won Filmfare’s first-ever talent hunt in 1958. In 1960, at the age of 25, he made his acting debut in director Arjun Hingorani’s Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. Although it went unnoticed, Dharmendra did not have to wait long to experience his first success. His sophomore venture, Ramesh Saigal’s Shola Aur Shabnam, in which he played the lead role, became a commercial success. He followed it up with Mohan Kumar’s Anpadh and Bimal Roy’s Bandini, which won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. With the success of Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Dharmendra established himself as a force to be reckoned with.
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While actors taking off their shirts and flaunting their torsos isn’t new now, it wasn’t the case back when Dharmendra was emerging as a star. He is also credited with starting the trend of actors going shirtless on screen, notably with his characters in Phool Aur Patthar (1966) and Dharam Veer (1977), among others. He soon earned titles like “Action King” and “He-Man.” He kept showcasing his box-office pull by delivering hits like Phool Aur Patthar, Mamta, Anupama, Aaye Din Baahar Ke, Shikhar, Ankhen, Izzat, and Mere Hamdam Mere Dost, thus making the 1960s his decade.
Even in the 1970s, despite the emergence of new stars, Dharmendra’s popularity remained unfazed. In fact, he achieved superstardom with the success of films like Jeevan Mrityu, Tum Haseen Mai Jawan, Sharafat, and Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan? He also played a supporting role in Raj Kapoor’s magnum opus Mera Naam Joker. The blockbuster success of Mera Gaon Mera Desh, meanwhile, established him as the undisputed action hero. From Seeta Aur Geeta, Samadhi, Raja Jani, and Loafer, to Jheel Ke Us Paar, Jugnu, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, and Dost, Dharmendra kept adding feathers to his cap. This era also saw him and Hema Malini, whom he eventually married, becoming an iconic on-screen duo, knocking it out of the park every time they appeared together.
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The year 1975 saw Dharmendra become a part of the most-celebrated Indian film of all time, Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay, wherein he shared the screen with Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, and Amjad Khan. Besides playing a key role in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chupke Chupke, he also appeared in Dulal Guha’s Pratiggya, alongside Hema Malini, the same year. By delivering more hits like Charas, Dharam Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Khel Khilari Ka, Dream Girl, Azaad, and Dillagi, he cemented his status as a superstar.
Amid all the fame, Dharmendra, already married to Prakash Kaur, with whom he has four children (including Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol), tied the knot with Hema Malini in 1980, creating significant controversy. They eventually welcomed two daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.
Meanwhile, his career fluctuated in the 1980s, as not all his outings were successful. While some of his films, like Azaad and Dillagi, became commercial successes, movies like Shalimar and Phandebaaz failed to grab the audience’s attention. Even his highly anticipated action thriller, The Burning Train, helmed by Ravi Chopra, failed to achieve massive success. However, his stardom did not fade, as he kept delivering hits, too, alongside flops. The success of movies like Rajput, Badle Ki Aag, Ghazab, Baghavat, Samraat, Naukar Biwi Ka, Ghulami, Insaniyat Ke Dushman and Aag Hi Aag kept him afloat even in the 1980s. However, with the arrival of the next generation of actors, Dharmendra’s stardom began to decline in the 1990s.
Although he was initially hesitant to accept the changing times and delivered quite a few duds, he eventually came to the realisation and started embracing supporting roles in movies like Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya and Kaise Kahoon Ke Pyaar Hai, which marked the beginning of a new phase in his career. However, consecutive failures made him take a hiatus in the early 2000s. He returned to acting later that decade and appeared in movies like Life in a… Metro, Apne, Johnny Gaddaar, Yamla Pagla Deewana and Tell Me O Kkhuda. He was most recently seen in the Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon-starrer Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.
Though Dharmendra also tried his luck in politics, his stint there was not as successful as his film career. He was elected as an MP from the Bikaner constituency on a BJP ticket and served from 2004 to 2009.
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