An entire era of Hindi cinema has come to an end. Veteran actor Dharmendra is no more with us. He celebrated his 89th birthday on 8 December. On Monday, he was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after his health suddenly deteriorated. And on Tuesday morning the news came that Dharmendra had passed away. Dharmendra… who was the epitome of masculinity on the big screen for generations of Hindi cinema lovers. His wrestler-like physique not only made him the “He-Man” of Hindi cinema, but fans will always remember him in this avatar. When his anger burst on screen with Punjabi innocence, he was called “Garam-Dharam”. Dharmendra… who was considered the “most handsome man” in the eyes of Salman Khan. Dilip Kumar had just one complaint against God: Why was he not as handsome as Dharmendra!
And that Dharmendra… whose first film “Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere” was released in 1960. His last film “Teri Baton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya” was released only last year. His last film “Ikkis” is yet to release in December. Dharmendra left this world with an illustrious career of 65 years, more than 300 films, a friendly nature and a unique personality. But he has left behind a legacy that is no less than a legend. This legend is intertwined with the harsh realities of life, which has also been criticized. But from beginning to end, Dharmendra’s life remained a blockbuster story of a carefree boy from a farmer family.
reality show of life
Dharmendra’s entry into films was like a dream come true. This boy, resident of Nasrali village of Ludhiana district of Punjab, had dreamed of becoming a hero after seeing Dilip Kumar and Motilal on screen. In those days, it would not have been easy for the son of a government school teacher to fulfill this dream. But the Punjabi Jatts, with their blood… were not going to accept defeat without leaving any stone unturned. He picked up his briefcase and headed towards Mumbai, then known as Bombay.
Waiting for work outside the studio was so tiring that one day Dharmendra was about to return to Punjab by boarding Frontier Mail. Thanks to Manoj Kumar, who used to work in the same line with Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor, who came from Punjab to try his luck. Manoj stopped and motivated him, so Dharmendra convinced him to try for a few more days. In 1958, Dharmendra was noticed by director Bimal Roy at a Filmfare talent competition held at Mehboob Studios. Dev Anand, whom Dharmendra had seen on screen, invited Dharmendra to his make-up room. Dev Saheb had lunch with the young boy and encouraged him, saying that he had immense potential. Arjun Hingorani gave a chance to this young actor in his film “Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere”. It seems that it was not the title of Dharmendra’s first film, but his passion for films.
arrival of a superstar
Dharmendra’s first film was a flop. However, her second film, “Shola Aur Shabnam”, was very successful. Some other films also did well, but the biggest success came from a film by Bimal Roy, the same man who had spotted Dharmendra in a talent contest. An eminent filmmaker of his time, Bimal cast Dharmendra in “Bandini” (1963). This film starring Ashok Kumar and Nutan won the National Award and people also paid attention to Dharmendra.
He received his first Filmfare Award nomination for “Aayi Milan Ki Bela” (1964). He gained recognition from the country’s first war drama film “Haqeeqat”, released in the same year. The 1965 multi-starrer film “Kajal” was a hit, thanks to Dharmendra’s supporting role. He got the lead role in “Phool Aur Patthar” (1966) and this film was also a hit. In the same year, Dharmendra’s films “Deewar”, “Mamta”, “Aaye Din Bahar Ke” and “Anupama” were also hits. Although Dharmendra never received a National Award, he received a special mention for his performance in “Anupama”. After becoming a star in the late 60s, he rose to superstar status in the early 70s.
“Jeevan Mrityu” turned out to be a big blockbuster, while “Mera Gaon Mera Desh” made Dharmendra an action star. After this, films like “Raja Jani”, “Sita Aur Geeta”, “Loafer”, “Jugnu” and “Yaadon Ki Baaraat” were blockbusters. After this, “Dost”, “Kahani Kismat Ki”, “Pathar Aur Payal”… how many names will you remember? Dharmendra was not just an actor… he was an acting machine. He acted in a dozen films a year, more than half of which were successful. Amidst this success, Dharmendra met Hema Malini on the sets of “Tum Haseen Main Jawan” (1970). The spark of love between the two flared up, which grew into a fire by the time “Sholay” was released in 1975. The film itself became a definition of Indian cinema, and Dharmendra’s character, Veeru, a legend. It was a big year for Dharmendra. He also gave superhit films like “Chupke-Chupke” and “Pratigya”. The stardom he got that year accelerated his flight for the next one and a half decade. A rocket who at one time did more films in a year than his star sons. This was the era of 90’s. During this period, when a new generation of young stars left behind the veterans of Hindi cinema, Dharmendra’s career came to a standstill.
When Dharmendra married for the second time
After a decade-long love story and several films together, Dharmendra and Hema Malini got married on May 2, 1980. But there were many controversies in this marriage. Dharmendra got married at the age of 19, even before leaving Punjab for Bombay. His wife Prakash Kaur gave birth to four children—Sunny, Bobby, Vijeta and Ajeeta. The newspapers did not take these children’s marriage with Hema Malini lightly. But after all this, Prakash Kaur gave a statement which ended the entire controversy. According to an old report, Prakash Kaur had said that not just Dharmendra, any man would have liked Hema more than her. He also expressed sympathy towards Hema and said that she too must be facing a lot in her family and society. But Prakash Kaur also said, “If I were Hema, I probably wouldn’t have done this. Being a woman, I can understand her feelings. But being a wife and mother, I don’t accept them.” Dharmendra and Hema’s love story and marriage was not just gossip. They turned into a long relationship. The impact of this long relationship is visible even today in their conversations. Some people have even linked his political career to it.
‘I won’t leave you behind, Soni’
Hema campaigned for her fellow actor Vinod Khanna, who was then the BJP candidate, in 1999 and officially joined the BJP in 2004. Hema joined the party in February and Dharmendra also joined the BJP in March. The party gave him ticket from Bikaner. During the election campaign, Dharmendra gave a speech which sparked controversy. After all, he was a carefree Jatt by nature! And this very thing often proves harmful in politics. However, Dharmendra won the election and became an MP. He was also criticized for his low attendance in Parliament. Ultimately, he left politics in 2009. Later Dharmendra even said that he does not even know the intricacies of politics.
Great comeback and second innings
In the late 90s, the hero whose dominance in films started decreasing was Dharmendra. But after this the era of character actor Dharmendra started. In between, he appeared in supporting roles in films such as “Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya” (1998). But after 2003, he disappeared from the big screen for a few years. He returned in 2007. With “Johnny Gaddaar”, “Apne” and “Life in a Metro”, he once again showed that superstar Dharmendra is a thing of the past. However, actor Dharmendra remains the one-man on stage. This experienced actor once again enthralled people in the 2023 film “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani”. In 2024, the same legend rocked the stage with a scene from “Teri Baton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya”.
People were eagerly waiting for the return of the veteran actor in “21” this year. “21” will release in December… but Dharmendra is no more with us. Although he may have been seen less on screen in the last few years, his presence in his videos on social media remained constant. Just shy of the age of 90, signs of age had started appearing on Dharmendra’s body. But this Yamla Jatt from Punjab, who was known for her simple nature and cheerful style, was still clearly visible in those videos. The legacy of this legend is such that he will continue to be remembered, even if he is no longer with us.