Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema’s most beloved and enduring stars with a career spanning more than 60 years, passed away on Monday. He was 89 years old. In recent weeks, he was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai due to a respiratory illness, but has since been discharged.
Known for generations as the He-Man of Hindi cinema, Dharmendra became a household name from the 1960s onwards for his matinee idol looks and naturalistic charm. He acted in over 250 films including some of India’s biggest hits like ‘Sholay’, ‘Phool Aur Patthar’, ‘Satyakam’, ‘Chupke Chupke’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘Loafer’, ‘Blackmail’ and ‘Jugnu’.
Born on December 8, 1935 in Nasralli, Punjab. His birth name is given in various sources as Dharam Singh Deol or Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol, but he moved to Mumbai (then Bombay) after winning a talent contest organized by Filmfare magazine. He made his screen debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hoon Bhi Tere and achieved stardom six years later with OP Ralhan’s Phool Aur Patthar, where his bare-chested scenes earned him the nickname ‘He-Man’.
Over the next decade, Dharmendra dominated the box office with a variety of films that showcased his versatility, from the tragic idealism of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Sathikam to the comical levity of Chupke Chupke to the rugged heroism of Sholai, in which he played Veeru, Amitabh Bachchan’s Jay counterpart in one of Indian cinema’s most iconic buddy pairings.
From 1978 to 1997, he maintained his stardom through action-oriented and ensemble films such as Burning Train, Azad, Rajput, Batwala, and Khatiyaar, while gradually moving into patriarchal and character roles. He also founded his own production company, Vijayta Films, which produced the 1983 blockbuster Betaabu and launched his son Sunny Deol.
Before entering the film industry, Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur and the couple had four children, including actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. In the 1970s, he co-starred in more than 40 films and with his future wife, actress Hema Malini, formed one of the longest-lasting partnerships on and off the screen in Bollywood. Although their relationship attracted intense public scrutiny, the two lived together for decades and had two daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.
Beyond acting, Dharmendra also entered politics as a member of Parliament as the Bikaner representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2004 to 2009. He then returned to films with Apne, Yamla Pagla Deewana and its sequel, sharing the screen space with his sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, who are both successful actors.
He received India’s Padma Bhushan award, one of the country’s highest civilian awards, and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.
Dharmendra continued to be active on social media and made public appearances to celebrate the golden age of Indian cinema. His warmth and humility earned him a reputation as one of the most generous colleagues in the industry.
He is survived by Prakash Kaur. Hema Malini. sons Sunny, Bobby and Karan Deol; daughters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol, among others.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Dharmendra ji’s passing marks the end of an era in Indian cinema. He was an iconic film personality and a phenomenal actor who brought charm and depth to every role he played. The way he acted resonated with countless people.Dharmendra ji was equally admired for his simplicity, humility and warmth.My thoughts are with his family, friends and countless fans at this sad time.”
One of Dharmendra’s last films was the war epic ‘Ikkis’, directed by Sriram Raghavan, who also directed Dharmendra’s ‘Johnny Gaddar’ (2007), which will be released on Christmas.
“Obviously, I feel terrible,” Raghavan told Variety. “This (‘Ikkis’) is a very important role that he has done and I am very happy that he has done this film with me. We started shooting in 2023 during Diwali and we dubbed with him in October. He is one of the main characters in this film. I felt so bad when I was giving small roles, almost inconsequential roles. So five years ago, I said to him, “I’m doing this movie, so you should too.” So he heard about it and was completely surprised, and then he came and shot it all over the country. ”
“His age was there…he gets tired easily and all that. But what’s great is that he changes when the cameras are on. That’s what I noticed. Like in almost every shot, you’d think, okay, he’s tired. We should pack up now. Then two more shots and then he’ll come and start,” Raghavan added. “I’ve loved him as an actor. He’s had all kinds of roles, from ‘Bandini’ to ‘Anupama’. And then there was ‘Johnny Gaddar’. Working with him was a lot of fun. I spent a lot of time with him. That’s how lucky I am.”
