Birthday special: 7 unforgettable Dharmendra movies

Dharmendra is regarded as the 'original He-Man of Bollywood'

Actor Dharmendra, who was an integral part of Bollywood in the era gone by, impressed movie buffs with his gripping screen presence and unique dialogue delivery. He starred in several blockbusters, proving that his star power was second to none. On Tuesday, as the original 'He-Man of Bollywood' turns a year older, here is a look at seven unforgettable Dharmendra movies that are a must watch

Anupama (1966)

The Hrishikesh Mukherjee-directed Anupama was a critically-acclaimed drama that highlighted the bond between an outspoken young man and a woman with a past. The film hit the right notes due to its simple storyline and effective presentation. It made a decent impact at the box office, emerging as an ‘above-average’ grosser.

Naya Zamana (1971)

An adaptation of the Bengali movie Udayer Pathey, Naya Zamana became quite popular because of Dharmendra's gripping performance and SD Burman’s evergreen music, The critically-acclaimed classic featured Hema Malini as the leading lady.

Jugnu (1973)

Featuring a solid performance from ‘Dharamji’, Jugnu was a massy action-thriller that emerged as a ‘superhit’ while receiving critical acclaim. The film’s dialogues became quite popular, helping the film attain cult status.

Blackmail (1973)

Widely regarded as an underrated gem, Blackmail revolved around what happens when a local businessman hatches a dangerous plan to get hold of a ‘secret formula’. The film featured the iconic Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas song.

Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973)

The classic masala drama featured a sincere performance from Dharmendra , doing full justice to his reel image. It popularised the ‘siblings separated by fate’ theme, redefining the tenets of Hindi cinema, The Nasir Hussain-directed blockbuster had an ensemble cast that included Zeenat Aman , Ajit and Vijay Arora. Yaadon Ki Baaraat was remade in multiple languages.

Sholay (1975)

Widely regarded as one of the greatest Hindi films ever made, Sholay was a revenge drama that revolved around the rivalry between a dangerous dacoit and an honest cop. The film featured Dharmendra in the role of the flirtatious Veeru, emerged as a runaway hit at the box office while receiving positive reviews from fans. The actor’s scenes with Amitabh Bachchan were the backbone of the classic.

Chupke Chupke ( 1975)

The lively comedy, which released in the same year as Sholay, received rave reviews due to Dharmendra flawless comic timing. The cult classic, a remake of the Bengali movie Chhadmabeshi, had a stellar cast that included Amitabh Bachchan and Sharmila Tagore