Dharmendra

Dharmendra ( ; 8 December 1935 – 24 November 2025) was an Indian actor, producer and politician, primarily known for his work in Hindi films. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most commercially successful actors in the history of Indian cinema. Known as the "He-man", he was popular for his handsome looks and leading roles in several blockbusters. In a career spanning 65 years, he worked in over 300 films, holding the record for starring in the highest number of hit films in Hindi cinema. Dharmendra was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2012, and was later posthumously conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2026. Born in Nasrali, Punjab, Dharmendra made his debut in 1960¹ with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. He first gained popularity in the mid-1960s, for films such as Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Phool Aur Patthar and Aaye Din Bahar Ke. He achieved greater stardom in later years, being dubbed India's "He-Man" for several of his on-screen roles in Hindi films. He consistently starred in several successful Hindi films from the late-1960s to the 1980s, such as Ankhen, Shikar, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Jeevan Mrityu, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Seeta Aur Geeta, Jugnu, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Dost, Sholay, Pratiggya, Charas, Dharam Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Ghulami, Hukumat, Aag Hi Aag, Elaan-E-Jung and Tahalka.…

Dharmendra ( ; 8 December 1935 – 24 November 2025) was an Indian actor, producer and politician, primarily known for his work in Hindi films. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most commercially successful actors in the history of Indian cinema. Known as the "He-man", he was popular for his handsome looks and leading roles in several blockbusters. In a career spanning 65 years, he worked in over 300 films, holding the record for starring in the highest number of hit films in Hindi cinema. Dharmendra was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2012, and was later posthumously conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2026. Born in Nasrali, Punjab, Dharmendra made his debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. He first gained popularity in the mid-1960s, for films such as Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Phool Aur Patthar and Aaye Din Bahar Ke. He achieved greater stardom in later years, being dubbed India's "He-Man" for several of his on-screen roles in Hindi films. He consistently starred in several successful Hindi films from the late-1960s to the 1980s, such as Ankhen, Shikar, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Jeevan Mrityu, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Seeta Aur Geeta, Jugnu, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Dost, Sholay, Pratiggya, Charas, Dharam Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Ghulami, Hukumat, Aag Hi Aag, Elaan-E-Jung and Tahalka. Some of his critically acclaimed performances include Bandini, Haqeeqat, Anupama, Mamta, Devar, Satyakam, Naya Zamana, Samadhi, Black Mail, Resham Ki Dori, Chupke Chupke, Dillagi, The Burning Train, Ghazab and Hathyar. Beginning in the late 1990s, he appeared in character roles in several successful and acclaimed films, such as Life in a... Metro, Apne, Johnny Gaddaar, Yamla Pagla Deewana, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to Bollywood. He was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India, representing the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The patriarch of the Deol family, Dharmendra's private life received much attention, particularly his marriages to Prakash Kaur and actress Hema Malini. For his contributions to the arts, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2012 and was later awarded Padma Vibhushan, posthumously in 2026. ==Early life and education== Dharmendra was born in Nasrali, a village in Ludhiana district, Punjab, British India, on 8 December 1935 as the second child of Kewal Krishan and Satwant Kaur, and was born into a Punjabi Hindu Jat family. He had an elder sister, Harminder Kaur and a younger brother, Ajit Singh Deol. His ancestral village is Dangon in Ludhiana district. His full name at birth is disputed between Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol, Dharam Singh Deol and Dharmendra Singh Deol. He spent his early life in the village of Sahnewal and studied at Government Senior Secondary School at Lalton Kalan, Ludhiana district, where his father was the village school headmaster. He did his matriculation in Phagwara in 1952. ==Career== ===1960–1969: Early career and rise to prominence=== Dharmendra initially travelled to Mumbai without any clear pathway into the film industry and returned home in Punjab after failing to secure work, taking up employment with a drilling company. He later reapplied himself to acting after seeing an advertisement for the Filmfare magazine talent hunt, for which he returned to Mumbai and was placed second (the winner, Suresh Puri, subsequently faded from public view). Despite this early recognition, he continued to face professional difficulties and reportedly considered leaving Mumbai again until he was persuaded to stay by fellow aspiring actor Manoj Kumar. He later made his film debut in 1960 with Arjun Hingorani's romantic drama Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. The film largely went unnoticed and as a result, did not perform that well at the box office. He saw his first commercial success in 1961 with Ramesh Saigal's Shola Aur Shabnam and followed it with hits, such as Mohan Kumar's Anpadh (1962) and Bimal Roy's Bandini (1963), which won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. His breakthrough came in 1964 when he co-starred alongside Rajendra Kumar and Saira Banu in another of Mohan Kumar's directional venture Ayee Milan Ki Bela. It went on to become a blockbuster and despite playing the antagonist, Dharmendra was noticed by audience and received a nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor category. That same year, he played the lead role in Chetan Anand's war-drama Haqeeqat. Based on the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the film proved to be a major critical and commercial success, eventually becoming a hit with one of its songs "Kar Chale Ham Fida", a solo by Mohammed Rafi becoming popular. In 1965, he had another success in Ram Maheshwari's romantic drama Kaajal. The film also had Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar and Padmini in the lead. In 1966, Dharmendra reunited with Kumari for O. P. Ralhan's Phool Aur Patthar. The film topped the box office chart in 1966, becoming a major blockbuster and making him a saleable star. He received his first nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Actor category for the film. The success of Phool Aur Patthar was followed by hits in Mamta, Devar, Anupama and Aaye Din Bahar Ke, the same year. He was also given a souvenir at the 14th National Film Awards in recognition of his performance in Anupama. The next year, he worked in commercially unsuccessful, but critically acclaimed films like - Dulhan Ek Raat Ki opposite Nutan and Majhli Didi, Chandan Ka Palna, both opposite Kumari. Dharmendra hit the big league in 1968 with Atma Ram's mystery thriller Shikar and Ramanand Sagar's spy thriller Ankhen. Both the films opened to positive audience response and proved to be successful at the box office with the latter being the top–earning film that year. His other commercially successful releases of 1968 were – T. Prakash Rao's drama film Izzat (in which he played a double role) and Amar Kumar's romantic drama Mere Hamdam Mere Dost. The following year, saw the emergence of star Rajesh Khanna, who starred in back-to-back blockbusters Aradhana and Do Raaste. With his rise, a number of stars went through career decline. During this phase, Dharmendra and Dev Anand were the only actors who were considered unaffected by Khanna's popularity. In 1969, he found success in Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Pyar Hi Pyar, and Yakeen. Dharmendra also received acclaim for his portrayal of a righteous man in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's social drama film Satyakam, which is widely considered to be his career-best performance by fans as well as critics and went on to win National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. ===1978–1997: Continued success and minor setbacks=== Post-1977, the quality of Dharmendra's films dropped and so the number of huge grossers, but his initial draw remained intact, owing to which the flow of successes continued till the 1990s. In 1978, he had four major releases which included Shalimar, Azaad, Dillagi and Phandebaaz. Out of these, Shalimar and Phandebaaz were critical and commercial failures while Azaad and Dillagi, both co-starring Malini emerged successful, especially the former which was a hit as well as fourth highest-grossing film of the year. The following year, he added one more hit in his kitty with Mohan Sehgal's Kartavya and a successful film with Dulal Guha's Dil Kaa Heera. Dharmendra began the 1980s with Ravi Chopra's big-budget action thriller The Burning Train. The film co-starring Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini and Parveen Babi didn't live up to the expectations and ended up as an average fare, however gained cult status in later years. His next two releases were - Alibaba Aur 40 Chor and Ram Balram. While the former was moderately successful, the latter in which he reunited with Bachchan proved to be a box office hit. In 1981, he had a hit in Kaatilon Ke Kaatil, but other releases, such as Aas Paas and Krodhi failed to leave a mark while Brij Sadanah's big-budget actioner Professor Pyarelal ended up as an average grosser. This changed in 1982 as five of his films emerged commercial successes, these were - Samraat, Rajput, Ghazab, Baghavat and Badle Ki Aag. In 1983¹, Dharmendra delivered a hit in Rajkumar Kohli's comedy film Naukar Biwi Ka, followed by another success, Qayamat, but his most anticipated film of that year, Kamal Amrohi's period biographical film Razia Sultan was a box office disaster. The next year, he had seven releases, out of which Baazi, Jagir, Jeene Nahi Doonga and Dharm Aur Qanoon did reasonable business, but rest were critical and commercial failures. In 1985, Dharmendra starred in J. P. Dutta's action drama film Ghulami which also had Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Reena Roy and Smita Patil in the lead. The film opened to positive reviews from critics and emerged a hit as well as one of the top five highest-earners of that year. In 1986, he appeared in biggies Main Balwan and Sultanat, both of which did not perform well at the box office. Dharmendra returned to the big league in 1987 by delivering eight successful films in the year. His first two releases were - Rajkumar Kohli's and Raj N. Sippy's actioners Insaniyat Ke Dushman and Loha, respectively, both of which proved to be box office hits. He then appeared in Dadagiri, Hukumat and Aag Hi Aag. While Dadagiri was an average fare, the latter two went on to become hits with Hukumat emerging as the highest-grossing film of the year. This was followed by T. Rama Rao's hit venture Watan Ke Rakhwale and two more successful films, Insaaf Kaun Karega with Rajinikanth and Insaf Ki Pukar, co-starring Jeetendra. His other huge hits of the decade, include Khatron Ke Khiladi (1988) and Elaan-E-Jung (1989). With the advent of the 1990s, Dharmendra's star power began to wane. From 1990 to 1992, his successful films included Naaka Bandi (1990), Veeru Dada (1990), Humse Na Takrana (1990), Kohraam (1991) and Tahalka (1992), which also proved to be his final hit as a lead actor. In 1993, he appeared in J. P. Dutta's ensemble action film Kshatriya co-starring Sunil Dutt, Vinod Khanna, Rakhee Gulzar, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol, Meenakshi Seshadri, Raveena Tandon and Divya Bharti. Kshatriya took a record opening, but collections dropped after it was pulled from theatres owing to Dutt's involvement in the 1993 Bombay bombings and it ended up as a flop. In the mid-1990s, he delivered average fares in Policewala Gunda (1995) and Mafia (1996), but his other releases, including biggies, such as Maidan-E-Jung (1995) and Return of Jewel Thief (1996) proved to be box office failures. In 1997, Dharmendra received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. While accepting the award from Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Banu, he became emotional and remarked that he had never won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor despite having worked in so many successful films and nearly a hundred popular films. Speaking on this occasion Dilip Kumar commented, "Whenever I get to meet with God Almighty, I will set before him my only complaint – why did you not make me as handsome as Dharmendra?". ===Frequent collaborations=== Dharmendra's most successful pairing was with Hema Malini, whom he later married. The couple performed together in many films including Tum Haseen Main Jawaan, Sharafat, Naya Zamana, Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Jugnu, Dost, Patthar Aur Payal, Sholay, Charas, Maa, Chacha Bhatija and Azaad. He has worked with various directors, each with a different style of filmmaking. His longest collaboration was with director Arjun Hingorani from 1960 to 1991. Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere was the debut film of Dharmendra as an actor and Arjun's first directorial venture with Dharmendra as the lead hero. They worked together in Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?, Kahani Kismat Ki, Khel Khilari Ka, Katilon Ke Kaatil and Kaun Kare Kurbanie where Arjun Hingorani was the producer and the director, and Sultanat and Karishma Kudrat Kaa, produced by Arjun Hingorani. He worked with director Pramod Chakravorty in Naya Zamana, Jugnu, Dream Girl and Azaad. Anil Sharma worked with him in many films including Hukumat, Elaan-E-Jung, Farishtay, Tahalka and Apne. ===Works in other languages=== ==Other works== ===Political career=== Dharmendra served as a Member of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Bharatiya Janata Party representing Bikaner in Rajasthan from 2004 to 2009. During his election campaign in 2004, he made an offensive remark that he should be elected dictator perpetuo to teach "basic etiquette that democracy requires" for which he was severely criticised. He rarely attended Parliament when the house was in session, preferring to spend time shooting movies or working at his farmhouse, for which he was also widely criticised. ===Television=== In 2011, Dharmendra replaced Sajid Khan as the male judge of the third series of popular reality show India's Got Talent. On 29 July 2011, the show aired on Colors TV with Dharmendra as the new judge and surpassed the opening ratings of the previous two seasons. In 2023, he appeared in his first television acting role as Salim Chisti in the historical series Taj: Divided by Blood. ===Producing and presenting films=== In 1983, Dharmendra set up a production company known as Vijayta Films, which he named after his eldest daughter. In its maiden venture Betaab, released in 1983, Vijayta Films launched Dharmendra's elder son Sunny Deol as the lead actor. The film was the second highest-grossing film of the year. In 1990 he produced the action film Ghayal, also starring Sunny. The film won seven Filmfare Awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Film. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Dharmendra in 1995 produced Barsaat, the costliest Indian film ever made until then, to launch his son Bobby Deol and Twinkle Khanna. It emerged a hit and remains the first and only time to date that such a film was made with newcomers. ===Health issues and death=== In 2010, Dharmendra had quit drinking alcohol after what he called a "health scare." He was previously known for his alcohol addiction, even being called "the biggest boozer in Bollywood", as he would drink up to 12 bottles a day. Between 2015 and 2020, he had multiple health issues, including back pain, muscle strain, and weakness, which occasionally required hospitalisation. In 2025, Dharmendra underwent a corneal transplant surgery after the cornea of his left eye was damaged. He had also been hospitalised on 31 October 2025 at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai due to breathing difficulties. He was admitted to the ICU for observation and was discharged within a few hours once all his vital parameters stabilised. On 10 November 2025, Dharmendra was again admitted to Breach Candy Hospital after complaining of respiratory issues. His second wife, Hema Malini, shared on social media that he was under continuous medical supervision. According to reports, he was placed on ventilator support as his condition became critical. Several actors, politicians, and fans across the country expressed their concern and prayed for his speedy recovery. On 11 November 2025, rumours began circulating on social media and several news channels claiming that Dharmendra had died. The reports spread rapidly, with many media outlets broadcasting the unverified news. His death rumours flooded the internet after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar even mourned his death in a post. Later, Hema Malini and daughter Esha Deol dismissed the rumours through their social media accounts, confirming that Dharmendra was alive and in stable condition. They condemned the spread of such false information, calling it completely unacceptable and irresponsible. Dharmendra died on 24 November 2025 at his residence in Mumbai, at the age of 89 following age-related illness, two weeks before his 90th birthday. His last rites were held at the Pawan Hans crematorium in the Vile Parle area of Mumbai, with family members and numerous film-industry colleagues in attendance. Upon the release of Ikkis on 1 January 2026, his last film, tributes were paid to him along with his Sholay and Chupke Chupke co-star Asrani, who died on 20 October 2025. ==Filmography== ==Accolades and honours== ===Filmfare Awards=== ===Other awards and recognitions=== In the mid-seventies, Dharmendra was voted one of the most handsome men in the world. In 1999, Lifetime Achievement at the Annual Kalakar Awards. He was a recipient of the "Living Legend Award" by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Indian entertainment industry. In 2003 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sansui Viewers' Choice Movie Awards. In 2004, he was honoured for Best Contribution to Indian Cinema. In 2005, he received the Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2007, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) In 2007, he received an IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2007, he received an award for Humanitarian Services to the Indian Nation. In 2007, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by DBR Entertainment. In 2007, the Punjabi newspaper Quami Ekta honoured him for his contributions to Indian cinema. In 2008, he was named "Actor Par Excellence" at the Max Stardust Awards. In 2008, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) International Film Festival. In 2009, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Nashik International Film Festival (NIFF). In 2011, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Award. In 2011, he received a "Salaam Maharashtra Award" for completing 50 years in the film industry. In 2011, he was honoured with "The ITA Scroll Of Honour" at the Indian Television Academy Awards. In 2017, he was honoured with the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Nobel award at Mumbai hosted by the International Human Rights Council. In 2020, he was honoured with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the state of New Jersey in United States. ==Further reading== ==External links==

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