Dharmendra, Actor
Actor

Dharmendra

Born 8 December 1935 · Punjab — Died 24 November 2025

Starred in over 300 Hindi films, holding the record for most hit films in Indian cinema history.

Dharmendra was an Indian actor, producer and politician, primarily known for his work in Hindi films. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most commercially successful actors in the history of Indian cinema. In a career spanning 65 years, he worked in over 300 films, holding the record for starring in the highest number of hit films in Hindi cinema.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Dharmendra once admitted in a 2018 BBC Hindi interview that he felt embarrassed when people praised his good looks, questioning what made them special.

The Story

1
🌟 In 1960, Dharmendra made his film debut with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, stepping into Mumbai’s Bollywood scene after returning briefly to Punjab without a clear pathway.
2
By 1966, films like Phool Aur Patthar turned him into a rising star, leading to his nickname “He-Man” for his rugged roles through the late 1960s and 70s.
3In 1975, Dharmendra starred in Sholay, a film that became a cultural phenomenon and one of Hindi cinema’s biggest blockbusters, cementing his place in cinematic history.
4🌾 Despite Bollywood fame, Dharmendra maintained ties to his farming roots in Punjab, a fact revealed in candid interviews highlighting his grounded personality amid superstardom.

🏅 Awards & Honours

2012
Padma Bhushan
—
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

Dharmendra’s birth name is disputed, with variations like Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol, Dharam Singh Deol, and Dharmendra Singh Deol cited in different sources.

🖼️

Through the Years

4 photographs from the archives
Dharmendra with his sons Bobby Deol and Sunny Deol at Chamku audio release (2011)
Dharmendra with his sons Bobby Deol and Sunny Deol at Chamku audio release (2011)
2011
Dharmendra receiving the Padma Bhushan Award from President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi (2012)
Dharmendra with Amitabh Bachchan at the finale of Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi (2016)
Veteran Indian actor Dharmendra at the screening of Gadar 2 (2023)

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Nasrali, Punjab
Dharmendra was born into a Punjabi Hindu Jat family in a village in Ludhiana district, British India.
1935
📚
Education
Completed matriculation in Phagwara
Dharmendra finished his schooling under the guidance of his father, a village school headmaster.
1952
⚡
Career
Film debut with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere
Dharmendra entered Bollywood with this film, marking the start of a career spanning over three decades.
1960
⚡
Career
Starred in Sholay
Dharmendra’s role in this blockbuster solidified his status as a leading Hindi film actor.
1975
🏅
Award
Received Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
Recognition of Dharmendra’s enduring contributions to Indian cinema.
1997
⚡
Career
Elected to 15th Lok Sabha
Dharmendra represented Bikaner constituency as a BJP member, blending cinema and politics.
2009
🕊️
Death
Passed away at age 89
Dharmendra died, leaving a legacy of over 300 films and political service.
2025
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
👤PERSONAL

In the 1970s, film studios in Mumbai operated with open gates where journalists could casually enter and interview stars like Dharmendra without appointments, reflecting a very different industry culture.

02 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Dharmendra’s father was the village school headmaster in Sahnewal, Ludhiana district, where the actor studied before moving to Mumbai to pursue films.

Wikipedia
03 / 04
💡SURPRISING

Despite his on-screen macho image, Dharmendra expressed a desire to see diseases, corruption, and discrimination eliminated from India in a rare throwback interview.

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"I wonder what's so special - but then I think, if they say it, maybe it's true."

— Dharmendra

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
'I'm a very emotional person': Dharmendra in 2013 BBC interview
More from this archive
'I'm a very emotional person': Dharmendra in 2013 BBC interview
01
'I'm a very emotional person': Dharmendra in 2013 BBC interview
When Dharmendra opened up about his looks: BBC interview from 2018 | From the archives
02
When Dharmendra opened up about his looks: BBC interview from 2018 | From the archives
Dharmendra in Aap Ki Adalat: देखिये सुपरस्टार धर्मेंद्र का Exclusive Interview | Rajat Sharma
03
Dharmendra in Aap Ki Adalat: देखिये सुपरस्टार धर्मेंद्र का Exclusive Interview | Rajat Sharma
Fair & Square | Dharmendra | Actor | Interview Part 1
04
Fair & Square | Dharmendra | Actor | Interview Part 1
Dharmendra का हंसाने वाला Interview जो आपको रोता हुआ छोड़ जाएगा | Dharmendra Death | Dharmendra Deol
05
Dharmendra का हंसाने वाला Interview जो आपको रोता हुआ छोड़ जाएगा | Dharmendra Death | Dharmendra Deol
Dharmendra in Aap Ki Adalat LIVE: 'आप की अदालत' में धर्मेंद्र का सबसे यादगार इंटरव्यू | Rajat Sharma
06
Dharmendra in Aap Ki Adalat LIVE: 'आप की अदालत' में धर्मेंद्र का सबसे यादगार इंटरव्यू | Rajat Sharma
Rare Interview of Dharmendra, Mithun Chakraborty & Shakti Kapoor
07
Rare Interview of Dharmendra, Mithun Chakraborty & Shakti Kapoor
Dharmendra का LIVE audience के सामने वो आखिरी इंटरव्यू| धर्मेन्द्र Bollywood Actor Health news |N18L
08
Dharmendra का LIVE audience के सामने वो आखिरी इंटरव्यू| धर्मेन्द्र Bollywood Actor Health news |N18L
'किसान का बेटा हूं, जाट हूं...' Dharmendra Interview में क्या-क्या बोले थे?
09
'किसान का बेटा हूं, जाट हूं...' Dharmendra Interview में क्या-क्या बोले थे?
The Untold Truth of Dharmendra | His Real Life Story Revealed | Ft. Nasir Adeeb | Full Podcast
10
The Untold Truth of Dharmendra | His Real Life Story Revealed | Ft. Nasir Adeeb | Full Podcast

🌱 What changed because of them

Dharmendra’s extensive filmography of over 300 movies set a bar for commercial success in Hindi cinema, influencing casting and storytelling styles from the 1960s through the 1980s. His transition to character roles opened avenues for veteran actors in Bollywood’s evolving narrative landscape. Politically, his tenure as an MP brought celebrity attention to Rajasthan’s Bikaner constituency, reflecting the crossover potential between arts and governance in modern India.

💬 Social Buzz

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