Happy Birthday to the He-Man of Bollywood, Dharmendra!

Dharmendra, regarded as one of the most handsome actors of his time, is a living legend and one of the most famous celebrities in the country. Starring in over 300 films, Dharmendra has cemented his place in the hearts of Indian audiences; whether it was the role of an angry action hero or a sweet lover, Dharmendra excelled in all circumstances. As his 88th birthday is around the corner, let's know in depth about his journey in life. So grab your popcorn and read on!

Early Life

Dharmendra was born on 8th December 1935 as Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol to his father, Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol, and mother, Satwant Kaur, in Ludhiana, Punjab.

He completed his schooling at Government Senior Secondary School in Lalton Kalan, Ludhiana, and matriculated in Phagwara in 1952.

Acting Career

Dharmendra was the winner of Filmfare magazine's National New Talent Award and moved from Punjab to the City of Dreams, Mumbai. He made his debut with the 1960 film "Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere" but gained popularity among the masses in 1966 with "Phool Aur Patthar".

After the success of "Phool Aur Patthar", Dharmendra never looked back and gave blockbuster hit after hit. His ability to perform effortlessly in various genres made him extremely popular, with the icing on the cake being his incredible chemistry with the actresses opposite him.

In 1975, his iconic movie "Sholay" was released, which took his stardom to the next level. Even after 4 decades, the film has become a cult classic and is considered the best Bollywood movie to be ever made. His chemistry with Hema Malini in this movie was phenomenal and garnered a lot of appreciation.

Even in the 1980s, Dharmendra continued his successful run with films like Ram Balram, Katilon Ke Kaatil, Qayamat and the highest-grossing film of the year, Hukumat.

He then went on to star in successful ventures like Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, Maidan-E-Jung, and Kshatriya. He also starred with his sons in films like Apne, Yamla Pagla Deewana, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, and Yamla Pagla Deewana 3.

In his vast career of over 6 decades, he worked in more than 300 films and also had a prolific career as he judged India's Got Talent in 2011.

Recently, he was also part of the blockbuster movie "Rocky aur Rani kii Prem Kahaani", which went on to become 2023's fourth highest-grossing Hindi film.

Producer

After immense success as an actor, Dharmendra got into the producer's shoes as he launched his elder son Sunny Deol in Betaab in 1983 under his production company Vijayta Films. In 1990, he also produced the highest-grossing film of the year, Ghayal, which had Sunny Deol in the lead role. He later launched his younger son, Bobby Deol, in the film Barsaat in 1995.

Politics

Dharmendra also participated in the 2004 election as a candidate for Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). He served as a Member of the Parliament representing Bikaner, Rajasthan from 2004 to 2009.

Award and Achievements

Throughout his career, Dharmendra has been showered with the public's love and critics' appreciation. He has got various accolades to his name from some scintillating performances. Here is the list of the top honours and achievements by Dharmendra.

His calm, down-to-earth and humorous personality has made everyone his die-hard fan and an aficionado of his work.