Dharmendra[a] (8 December 1935 – 24 November 2025) was an Indian actor, producer and politician, primarily known for his work inHindi films. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most commercially successful and best-looking film stars in thehistory of Indian cinema.[3] In a career spanning 65 years, he worked in over300 films, holding the record for starring in the highest number of hit films inHindi cinema.[4][5]
He spent his early life in the village ofSahnewal and studied at Government Senior Secondary School atLalton Kalan,Ludhiana, where his father was the village school headmaster.[24] He did his matriculation inPhagwara in 1952.[25] While at school, his teacher gave him the name Dharam Singh Deol.[2]
Career
1960–1969: Early career and rise to prominence
Dharmendra initially travelled toMumbai without any clear pathway into the film industry and returned home inPunjab after failing to secure work, taking up employment with a drilling company. He later reapplied himself to acting after seeing an advertisement for theFilmfare 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 actorManoj Kumar.[26] He later made his film debut in 1960 withArjun Hingorani'sromantic dramaDil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere.[27][28] The film largely went unnoticed and as a result, did not perform that well at the box office.[8] He saw his first commercial success in 1961 withRamesh Saigal'sShola Aur Shabnam and followed it with hits, such asMohan Kumar'sAnpadh (1962) andBimal Roy'sBandini (1963), which wonNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.[29][30][31]
In 1970, Dharmendra delivered four major successes and formed a hit pair withHema Malini.[27] His first release wasSatyen Bose'scrime dramaJeevan Mrityu. An adaptation ofAlexandre Dumas's novelThe Count of Monte Cristo, it proved to be major critical and commercial success, eventually emerging a blockbuster and one of the top earners of 1970.[55] His next two films,Bhappi Sonie'sTum Haseen Main Jawan andAsit Sen'sSharafat, both opposite Malini proved to be superhits at the box office. This was followed by a flop inIshq Par Zor Nahin alongsideSadhana and a hit inKab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan? withBabita.[43] His final release of that year wasRaj Kapoor's magnum opusMera Naam Joker (in which he played a supporting role). Although the film was a disaster at the time of release, it attained cult status in later years, with many critics hailing it as one of the best Indian films of all time.[56][57] In 1971, Dharmendra starred inRaj Khosla'saction dramaMera Gaon Mera Desh.[58] The film went on to become anAll Time Blockbuster and established his image of an action hero.[59] The large success of this film also made the industry shift from romantic to action films.[8] Dharmendra received his second nomination in theFilmfare Award for Best Actor category for his performance inMera Gaon Mera Desh.[60] His success continued in the following year with another massive blockbuster inSeeta Aur Geeta, a superhit inRaja Jani and a hit film,Samadhi to go with the major grossers.[61] The mass hysteria created byMera Gaon Mera Desh in 1971, followed by back-to-back hits withSeeta Aur Geeta,Raja Jani andSamadhi in 1972 took Dharmendra to number one position among his contemporaries, thus making him a "superstar".[62][41][63][64]
1973 was the best year of Dharmendra's career with many successes.[8] His first release, which wasA. Bhimsingh'saction crime filmLoafer, emerged a superhit with its songs, including "Aaj Mausam Bada Be-Imaan", "Main Tere Ishq Mein", "Koi Shehri Babu" becoming immensely popular among the masses and making its soundtrack one of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the 1970s.[65][66] This was followed bymystery thrillerJheel Ke Us Paar andaction dramaJugnu. WhileJheel Ke Us Paar was a hit, the latter proved to be a blockbuster in India as well as Soviet Union, eventually taking second spot at the box office in 1973.[67] Owing to its huge success,Jugnu was also remade inTamil andTelugu asGuru (1980).[68] His next two releases were -Ravikant Nagaich's spy thrillerKeemat andAdurthi Subba Rao's light-hearted drama filmJwaar Bhata.[69][70] Both the films received critical acclaim and emerged moderately successful.[8] Towards the end of the year, Dharmendra appeared inYaadon Ki Baaraat,Blackmail andKahani Kismat Ki.Yaadon Ki Baaraat, directed byNasir Hussain and written bySalim-Javed is widely identified as the firstmasala film ofIndian cinema and proved to be another blockbuster for the actor as well as the second best-sellingBollywood album of the 1970s.[71][8][72] On the other hand,Vijay Anand's romantic thrillerBlackmail was an unsuccessful venture critically and commercially, but reception later improved, with many calling it one of Anand's most underrated works.[73] The song "Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas" filmed on Dharmendra and Raakhee was a chartbuster and remains popular in modern culture.[74] His final release of the year, Arjun Hingorani's actionerKahani Kismat Ki continued his dream run and emerged a superhit at the box office.[75] The following year, Dharmendra added one more blockbuster in his kitty withDulal Guha's social dramaDost co-starringShatrughan Sinha and Hema Malini.[76] The huge box office success ofDost was followed by moderate successes inPatthar Aur Payal andResham Ki Dori. For his performance in the latter, Dharmendra received his fourth and final nomination in theFilmfare Award for Best Actor category.[77]
The 1975 Emergency had angered the public, and this helped films featuring the lead character revolting against corruption and establishment become successes. The shift from romantic and social movies to action-oriented multi-starrers changed the box office. The year saw the rise of another superstar,Amitabh Bachchan, but Dharmendra remained rock-steady and continued to deliver huge hits.[78]
In 1975, Dharmendra appeared alongside Bachchan in two films. The first was Mukherjee's light-hearted comedyChupke Chupke.[79] It received positive response from critics and went on to become a hit at the box office.[80] The second wasRamesh Sippy's actionerSholay.[81] It released on 15 August 1975,Indian Independence Day, in Bombay. Due to lackluster reviews and a lack of effective visual marketing tools, it saw poor financial returns in its first two weeks. However, from the third week onward, viewership picked up owing to positiveword of mouth.[82] During the initial slow period, the director and writer considered re-shooting some scenes so that Amitabh Bachchan's character would not die. When business picked up, they abandoned this idea.[83] After additionally releasing a soundtrack containing dialogue snippets,[84]Sholay soon became an "overnight sensation".[85] The film was then released in other distribution zones such as Delhi,Uttar Pradesh,Bengal, andHyderabad on 11 October 1975.[86] It became the highest-grossing Hindi-language film of 1975, and film ranking websiteBox Office India has given the film a verdict ofAll Time Blockbuster.[76]Sholay went on to earn a still-standing record of 60 golden jubilees[b] across India,[85] and was the first film in India to celebrate a silver jubilee[c] at over 100 theatres.[85] It was shown continuously at Bombay's Minerva Theatre for over five years and in Kolkata'sJyoti Cinema for almost two years.[87][88]Sholay was the Indian film with the longest theatrical run untilDilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) broke its record of 286 weeks in 2001.[89][90]
Dharmendra andBachchan starrerSholay (1975) recorded an estimated 15-18 crore footfalls, making it the highest grossing Indian film in terms of audience attendance to date.
Before the end of year, he delivered another huge success inPratiggya.[91] The film along with its strong action scenes also had a significant comic track in the form of "slapstick" comedy which led to it being referred as a "masterpiece in comedy".[92][93] In 1976, Dharmendra reunited with Ramanand Sagar for the action thrillerCharas. Set against the backdrop of theexpulsion of Indian community from Uganda by its dictatorIdi Amin in 1972, it opened to bumper response all over the nation and emerged a superhit at the box office.[94] His other release of the year,M. A. Thirumugam's family drama filmMaa was thrashed by critics, but still went on to become a success.[95] The year 1977 proved to be a big one for Dharmendra with anAll Time Blockbuster inManmohan Desai'saction dramaDharam Veer, a superhit in another of Desai'smasala filmChacha Bhatija, followed by two more successful films in Arjun Hingorani'smystery thrillerKhel Khilari Ka and Pramod Chakravorty's action comedyDream Girl.[96][97] In the United Kingdom,Dharam Veer had 23 shows in 5 cities. Driven by the success of Rafi's songs, the film took a record initial of £50,000 in the UK, equivalent to₹438,140 (US$50,001.71).[98] In addition, the film sold 32 million tickets in the Soviet Union.[99]
1978–1997: Continued success and occasional 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.[8] In 1978, he had four major releases which includedShalimar,Azaad,Dillagi andPhandebaaz. Out of these,Shalimar andPhandebaaz were critical and commercial failures whileAzaad andDillagi, both co-starring Malini emerged successful, especially the former which was a superhit as well asfourth highest-grossing film of the year.[100] The following year, he added one more superhit in his kitty with Mohan Sehgal'sKartavya and a successful film with Dulal Guha'sDil Kaa Heera.[101]
In a 2016 feature inThe Hindu, film criticVijay Lokapally noted that Dharmendra’s shift in the late 1980s toward low-budget action cinema echoed the career path of wrestler-actorDara Singh, who had once dominated India’s working-class entertainment circuit. He observed that as mainstream Hindi cinema became dominated by younger stars such as the "Khan trio" andAkshay Kumar, Dharmendra deliberately targeted a different audience, comprising labourers, small-town viewers, and long-time fans of traditional action heroes, by appearing in quickly produced, low-cost action films screened largely in single theatres across India’s B- and C-circuits. While initially dismissed by the press and some of his admirers as a decline into "B-grade" filmmaking, he argued that Dharmendra’s strategy was in fact pragmatic: these films were economically viable, shot within a month, and sustained his connection with a loyal audience base that valued old-style heroism over the romantic trends of the multiplex era.[127] However, his image as a leading man was affected by his decision to act in a number of low-budget or "B-grade" productions, as evidenced by the fact that despite his blockbusters (6), super-hits (7) and hits (36) he also holds a record number of flop films, estimated at around 180 titles released between 1960 and 2013, most of those occurring during his "B-grade" phase.[128]
In 1997, Dharmendra received theFilmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. While accepting the award fromDilip Kumar and his wifeSaira Banu, he became emotional and remarked that he had never won theFilmfare Award for Best Actor despite having worked in so many successful films and nearly a hundred popular films.[129] Speaking on this occasionDilip 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?".[130]
The war dramaIkkis (2025), based on the life ofArun Khetarpal was the final film of his illustrious career, however he died before the release of the film.[151]
Frequent collaborations
Dharmendra's most successful pairing was with Hema Malini, whom he later married.[27] The couple performed together in many films includingTum Haseen Main Jawaan,Sharafat,Naya Zamana,Seeta Aur Geeta,Raja Jani,Jugnu,Dost,Patthar Aur Payal,Sholay,Charas,Maa,Chacha Bhatija andAzaad.[152]
He has worked with various directors, each with a different style of filmmaking.[153] 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.[154][155] They worked together inKab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?,Kahani Kismat Ki,Khel Khilari Ka,Katilon Ke Kaatil andKaun Kare Kurbanie where Arjun Hingorani was the producer and the director, andSultanat andKarishma Kudrat Kaa, produced byArjun Hingorani.[156] He worked with directorPramod Chakravorty inNaya Zamana,Jugnu,Dream Girl andAzaad.[157]Anil Sharma worked with him in many films includingHukumat,Elaan-E-Jung,Farishtay,Tahalka andApne.[158][159]
Works in other languages
In the starting of his film career he worked in theBengali filmPaari (1966) directed by Jagannath Chatterjee. The film also featuredDilip Kumar andKeshto Mukherjee in key roles.[160]
Dharmendra served as aMember of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) fromBharatiya Janata Party representingBikaner inRajasthan from 2004 to 2009. During his election campaign in 2004, he made an offensive remark that he should be electeddictator perpetuo to teach "basic etiquette that democracy requires" for which he was severely criticised.[162] He rarely attendedParliament when the house was in session, preferring to spend time shooting movies or working at his farmhouse, for which he was also widely criticised.[163]
Television
Dharmendra at an event in 2011
In 2011, Dharmendra replacedSajid Khan as the male judge of the third series of popular reality showIndia's Got Talent.[164] On 29 July 2011, the show aired onColors TV with Dharmendra as the new judge and surpassed the opening ratings of the previous two seasons.[165]
Dharmendra is widely regarded as one of the most influential personalities in Indian cinema.[173][174] He was considered one of the most handsome men in the world during his early career and is widely known as the "He-Man" of Bollywood.[175] Considered to be asex symbol early in his career, Dharmendra was noted for his affection and his appeal to his female fanbase, which according to theBBC was said to be in the "tens of millions".[2]
Following his death,The New York Times called Dharmendra one of India’s "most versatile stars".[1]Variety remembered him as "Indian cinema’s most beloved and enduring stars".[176]
Critical appreciation
Dharmendra most notable acting performances includeSatyakam withHrishikesh Mukherjee,[177] andSholay, which is listed byIndiatimes as one of the "top 25 must seeBollywood films of all time". In 2005, the judges of the 50th annual Filmfare Awards awardedSholay the special distinction ofFilmfare Best Film of 50 years.[178]
In 2019,Rediff.com placed him 10th in its "Top 10 Bollywood Actors of All Time" list.[179]
In 2022, he was placed inOutlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actors" list.[180]
Controversially, while he did receive civilian awards and a "consolation prize" (the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award), Dharmendra never won an award for his acting.[26] In a tribute following his death, essayistMukul Kesavan has argued that Dharmendra’s acting talent was long under-recognised because in the early phase of his career, in the 1960s, he frequently appeared in heroine-centric films, thus seeing his screen impact diminished by that of the lead actress, while in the 1970s many of his finest roles occurred in multi-starrers, where his comic and dramatic work had to share space with other prominent actors, further diluting recognition for his individual contributions.[181]
Industry appreciation
WhenDilip Kumar was giving theFilmfare Lifetime Achievement Award to Dharmendra, he 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?".[182] One of the most successful actors of the 1970s and 1980s, Dharmendra appeared inBox Office India's "Top Actors" list eighteen times from 1968 to 1984 and 1987. He topped the list four times (1972–1975).[41]
In an interview,Salman Khan said that Dharmendra is the only person he has consistently followed after his father; he admires Dharmendra even more than Dharmendra’s own sons do.[183] He also praised Dharmendra’s enduring appeal, calling him “the most beautiful looking man” because of the innocence and vulnerability in his face combined with a strong physique, a remark that led to Dharmendra being affectionately labelled “macho man".[184] In a 2007 episode of Koffee with Karan,Jaya Bachchan revealed that she had been completely smitten with Dharmendra, describing him as a “Greek god” and even sharing her admiration in front of his wife, Hema Malini. She recalled being so starstruck upon their first meeting that she “hid behind a sofa".[185]Amitabh Bachchan also revealed that Jaya had already told him she admired Dharmendra above all others, saying, “There is nobody in the industry more handsome than him.”[186]
Zeenat Aman described Dharmendra as her favourite co-star, calling him “strikingly handsome” and noting his humble personality, which made her feel at ease during filming.[187]Madhuri Dixit has described Dharmendra as “one of the most handsome persons I have ever seen on screen".[188]
Personal life
Dharmendra with his sons,Bobby (on left),Sunny Deol (right hand side)
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur at the age of 19 in 1954, before he entered the film industry.[189] The couple became parents to two sons,Sunny Deol andBobby Deol, both successful film actors; and two daughters, Vijeta (born in 1962) and Ajeeta (born in 1966).[190] Throughout his life, Dharmendra spent most of his time with Kaur, while Malini lived independently with her children.[191]
After moving toBombay and entering films, Dharmendra marriedHema Malini, which caused controversy at the time since he was already married. Rumours began to circulate about Dharmendra and Hema Malini converting toIslam for this wedding.[192][193] In 2004, during a political campaign, when the rumours began to circulate again, Dharmendra asserted that he remained aHindu,[21] the family beingArya Samaji.[194] He and Malini starred together in a number of movies in the early 1970s, includingSholay.[195][196] The couple had two daughters,Esha Deol (an actress, born in 1981) and Ahana Deol (an assistant director, born in 1985). His grandson,Bobby Deol's son, is also named "Dharam", after him.[197]
Dharmendra had a farmhouse inLonavala, where he lived during his final years. His family resides inJuhu, Mumbai.[198][199][200] In 2023, Dharmendra lamented that Bollywood neglected his family and never appreciated Deol family's contributions toIndian cinema.[201]
In 2001, after developing a serious back ailment that required a prolonged stay in hospital, Dharmendra began writing poetry to cope with the solitude. In subsequent years he was known for composing spontaneous verses, often using them to express reflections on life and the deeper dimensions of human experience.[202] He was particularly fond ofMirza Ghalib.[203]
Health issues and death
In 2010, Dharmendra had quit drinking alcohol after what he called a "health scare." He was previously known for hisalcohol addiction, even being called "the biggest boozer in Bollywood", as he would drink up to 12 bottles a day.[204]
Between 2015 and 2020, he had multiple health issues, includingback pain,muscle strain, and weakness, which occasionally required hospitalisation. In 2025, Dharmendra underwent acorneal transplant surgery after thecornea of his left eye was damaged.[205]
He had also been hospitalised on 31 October 2025 at theBreach 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.[206]
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.[207]
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 MinisterRajnath Singh and poet and lyricistJaved 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.[208][207][209]
Dharmendra died on 24 November 2025 at his residence in Mumbai, at the age of 89 following age-related illness.[210][2][211] His last rites were held at thePawan Hans crematorium in theVile Parle area of Mumbai, with family members and numerous film-industry colleagues in attendance.[212][213]
In the mid-seventies, Dharmendra was voted one of the most handsome men in the world.[222]
In 1999, Lifetime Achievement at the Annual Kalakar Awards.[223]
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.[224]
In 2003 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sansui Viewers' Choice Movie Awards.[225]
In 2004, he was honoured for Best Contribution to Indian Cinema.[226]
In 2017, he was honoured with the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Nobel award at Mumbai hosted by the International Human Rights Council.[237]
Dharmendra being awarded the Babasaheb Ambedkar Nobel Award in 2017
In 2020, he was honoured with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the state ofNew Jersey in United States.[238]
Notes
^His full name at birth is disputed between Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol and Dharam Singh Deol. According toThe New York Times his birth name is Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol.[1] However according to theBBC, his father gave him the name Dharam Singh Deol.[2]
^A golden jubilee means that a film has completed 50 consecutive weeks of showing in a single theatre.
^A silver jubilee means that a film has completed 25 consecutive weeks of showing in a single theatre.
^Mathur, Abhimanyu (8 January 2025)."Bollywood's most successful actor has 74 hits, more than Shah Rukh, Salman Khan, Amitabh, yet was never called superstar".Hindustan Times. Retrieved17 January 2025. “Even though this star had more hits thanAmitabh Bachchan andShah Rukh Khan, he was never called a ‘superstar’ for a rather academic reason. Dharmendra has the distinction of delivering the most hits as an actor in the Hindi film industry. The actor has a record 74 hits to his name in films where he was either the lead or had a substantial role. Dharmendra has appeared in over 240 films. Of these, 94 have been successful (recovering their investments), and 74 have had the distinction of being called hits. This includes seven blockbusters and 13 super hits, notably Sholay, the all-time highest-grosser of Indian cinema.”
^abKashyap, Archita (27 June 2015)."I am a farmer's son: Dharmendra".The Hindu.Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved3 November 2019.I am a Jat. Jats love their land and their farms. I spend most of my time in my farmhouse at Lonavla these days.
^Malhotra, Aps (20 March 2014)."Zakhmee (1975)".The Hindu.Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved21 January 2024 – via www.thehindu.com.
^"Dharmendra or "Dilawar Khan?"".Milli Gazette. 30 June 2004.Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved18 June 2016.When his political rivals brought the issue to the notice of election authorities and the general public, he denied his conversion to Islam and change of name.
^"Deols don't believe in superstitions".The Times of India. 21 June 2009. Archived fromthe original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved29 December 2024.They [Dharmendra and Sunny Deol] said, 'We keep any kind of superstition at bay. Being followers of the Arya Samaj system, we bring in positive energy by doing good deeds for the good of others.'
