Dharmendra: Life in Pictures

Remembering Bollywood's OG 'He-Man', Dharmendra, who passed away at the age of 89 on Monday afternoon.

Dharmendra was born on December 9, 1935, to Kewal Krishan and Satwant Kaur in a Jat family in Nasrali, Punjab.

Dharmendra was charming and was a symbol of a dashing middle-class boy, thinking of conquering the cinema.

Dharmendra initially entered showbiz by winning a national talent pageant that helped him relocate from Punjab to Mumbai.

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.

Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954 at the age of 19, and they had four children together (sons Sunny, Bobby Deol, Vijeta and Ajeeta).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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).

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.

Dharmendra also had a brief political career, serving as a BJP Member of Parliament (MP) for Bikaner, Rajasthan, from 2004 to 2009.

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).

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.