Dharmendra.
Credit: Instagram/@aapkadharam
Credit: Instagram/@aapkadharam
Dharmendra was born on December 9, 1935, to Kewal Krishan and Satwant Kaur in a Jat family in Nasrali, Punjab.
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Dharmendra was charming and was a symbol of a dashing middle-class boy, thinking of conquering the cinema.
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Dharmendra initially entered showbiz by winning a national talent pageant that helped him relocate from Punjab to Mumbai.
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Although his initial film project never materialised, Dharmendra’s passion remained strong. His debut eventually came with Arjun Hingorani's romantic drama, Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, in 1960.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954 at the age of 19, and they had four children together (sons Sunny, Bobby Deol, Vijeta and Ajeeta).
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After tasting success in Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), co-starring Rajendra Kumar and Saira Banu, Dharmendra never looked back. His performance was critically lauded and earned him a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
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Dharmendra's career skyrocketed in 1966 with OP Ralhan's Phool Aur Patthar. The movie not only topped the box office charts but also cemented Dharmendra’s name as a major bankable actor in Hindi cinema.
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He starred in almost n nearly half a dozen films in 1966 and received a souvenir at the 14th National Film Awards for his role in Anupama.
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The year 1970 saw four major hits for Dharmendra, including the crime drama Jeevan Mrityu, and the successful pairing with Hema Malini in Tum Haseen Main Jawan and Sharafat.
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In 1971, Dharmendra starred in the action-drama Mera Gaon Mera Desh. This Raj Khosla film became an all-time blockbuster, earning him the image of an action hero.
Credit: IMDb
The year 1975 was massive for Dharmendra, featuring two movies with Amitabh Bachchan (Chupke Chupke and Sholay). Apart from these, Dharmendra delivered another blockbuster, Pratiggya.
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In 1980, Dharmendra married his co-star, Hema Malini. He converted to Islam to do so without divorcing his first wife and welcomed two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol.
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Dharmendra successfully launched his own production company, Vijayta Films, and launched both his sons, Sunny Deol, with the movie Betaab (1983) and Bobby Deol in Barsaat (1995).
Credit: PIB
For his significant contributions to Indian cinema, he was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and later received the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 2012.
Credit: PTI
Dharmendra also had a brief political career, serving as a BJP Member of Parliament (MP) for Bikaner, Rajasthan, from 2004 to 2009.
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Even in his later years, Dharmendra continued to work and appeared in hits like Life in a... Metro (2007) and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023).
Credit: Maddock Films
Ikkis will mark the last screen appearance of Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24. The film is set to release on December 25, 2025.