Opinion Dharmendra’s success is what dreams are made of

In recent years, his online presence had become a window into his world — full of poetry, nostalgia, and an indomitable zest for life. Sometimes he recited verses; at other times, he shared glimpses of his days — videos that showed him swimming, flexing his biceps, humming old songs, cuddling his dog, or recounting film trivia.

In an earlier post, he had written: “Friends, (I was) born to entertain and inspire you.” For over six decades, that’s exactly what he did.

Dharmendra, who appeared in nearly 300 films and delivered a record number of box-office hits, died at the age of 89, on November 24 in Mumbai. The story of his success in the fiercely competitive showbiz world is what dreams are made of. The son of a school headmaster, he became one of Indian cinema’s most beloved heartthrobs and action heroes, as well as a reliable box-office draw. As a producer, he made a string of commercially successful movies under his banner, Vijayta Films. He also served as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha (2004-2009).

Born Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol on December 8, 1935, in Nasrali, Ludhiana, he was still in his early teens when he fell in love with cinema. After watching Shaheed (1948), starring his idol Dilip Kumar, with whom he would later share a close bond, he resolved to join films. Fate played its part. In 1958, Filmfare launched its first-ever talent hunt, and Dharmendra applied. Winning the competition became his ticket to the movies. After struggling for a few years, he debuted with Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere (1960). His first box-office success came soon after, with Shola Aur Shabnam (1961), followed by Anpadh (1962) and Bimal Roy’s acclaimed Bandini (1963).

While his image as a strikingly handsome romantic and comic actor endured, Dharmendra was equally adored as the quintessential action hero and came to be known as the “He-Man” of Hindi films. He displayed impressive range early on. He played a supporting role in Bandini (1963) but won critical acclaim for his performances in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anupama (1966) and Satyakam (1969) — both won the National Award for Best feature Film in Hindi. These performances revealed Dharmendra’s depth and restraint. His collaboration with Mukherjee also gave Hindi cinema classics like Guddi (1971) and Chupke Chupke (1975).

By the 1980s, he had cemented his image as the invincible action star with films like Phool Aur Patthar (1966), Sholay (1975), and Dharam Veer (1977). But it was in his later years that filmmakers rediscovered his sensitivity. Sriram Raghavan cast him as a sensitive gangster in Johnny Gaddaar (2007). He was also memorable opposite Nafisa Ali in Life in a… Metro (2007) and was seen rekindling his old on-screen romance with Shabana Azmi in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023).

On social media, Dharmendra once captioned his photo with “I wish to play the role of a cowboy — that’s why I love to wear hats.” This particular role may have eluded him on screen, but last year he celebrated his birthday cake dressed as a cowboy, surrounded by sons Sunny, Bobby and his fans. About a fortnight before he would have turned 90, the star who brought both tenderness and swagger to Hindi cinema rode into the sunset.

The writer is associate editor, The Indian Express

alaka.sahani@expressindia.com