49 Facts About Dharmendra

Dharmendra has worked in more than 200 films in a career spanning over six decades.

Dharmendra is the most successful actor in Hindi cinema, holding the record for the highest number of hit films, surpassing Amitabh, Shahrukh and Dilip Kumar.

Dharmendra holds the record for having highest number of hit films in a single year in Hindi cinema, which was seven consecutive hits in 1987.

Dharmendra made his debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere.

Dharmendra first gained popularity in the mid-1960s for films, such as Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Kaajal and Phool Aur Patthar, and achieved greater stardom in later years, being dubbed India's "Garam Dharam" for several of his on-screen roles in Hindi films.

Dharmendra was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India, representing the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Dharmendra was born as Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol in Nasrali, a village in Ludhiana district, Punjab, British India on 8 December 1935.

Dharmendra was born to Kewal Krishan and Satwant Kaur into a Punjabi Jat family.

Dharmendra spent his early life in the village of Sahnewal and studied at Government Senior Secondary School at Lalton Kalan, Ludhiana, where his father was the village school headmaster.

Dharmendra had two sons from this marriage, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, both successful film actors; and two daughters, Vijeeta and Ajeeta.

In 2004, during a political campaign, when the rumours began to circulate again, Dharmendra asserted that he remained a Hindu, the family being Arya Samaji.

Dharmendra has a farmhouse in Lonavala, where he now generally resides.

In 2023, Dharmendra expressed that Bollywood neglected his family and never appreciated Deol family's contribution to Indian cinema.

Dharmendra was the winner of Filmfare magazine's nationally organised new talent award and went to Mumbai from Punjab to work in the movie.

Dharmendra later made his film debut in 1960 with Arjun Hingorani's romantic drama Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere.

Dharmendra saw his first commercial success in 1961 with Ramesh Saigal's Shola Aur Shabnam and followed it with hits, such as Mohan Kumar's Anpadh and Bimal Roy's Bandini, which won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Dharmendra's breakthrough came in 1964 when he co-starred alongside Rajendra Kumar and Saira Banu in another of Mohan Kumar's directional venture Ayee Milan Ki Bela.

In 1966, Dharmendra reunited with Kumari for O P Ralhan's Phool Aur Patthar.

Dharmendra received his first nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Actor category for the film.

Dharmendra was given a souvenir at the 14th National Film Awards in recognition of his performance in Anupama.

Dharmendra hit the big league in 1968 with Atma Ram's mystery thriller Shikar and Ramanand Sagar's spy thriller Ankhen.

Dharmendra received immense acclaim for his portrayal of a righteous man in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's social drama film Satyakam, which is widely considered to be his career-best performance by fans as well as critics and went on to win National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

In 1971, Dharmendra starred in Raj Khosla's action drama Mera Gaon Mera Desh.

Dharmendra received his second nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Actor category for his performance in Mera Gaon Mera Desh.

Towards the end of the year, Dharmendra appeared in Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Blackmail and Kahani Kismat Ki.

The song "Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas" filmed on Dharmendra and Raakhee was a chartbuster and remains popular till date.

The year saw the rise of another superstar, Amitabh Bachchan, but Dharmendra remained rock-steady and continued to deliver huge hits.

In 1976, Dharmendra reunited with Ramanand Sagar for the action thriller Charas.

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.

Dharmendra began the 1980s with Ravi Chopra's big-budget action thriller The Burning Train.

In 1983, Dharmendra delivered a hit in Rajkumar Kohli's comedy film Naukar Biwi Ka, followed by another success, Qayamat, but his most anticipated film of that year, Kamal Amrohi's period biographical film Razia Sultan was a box office disaster.

Dharmendra returned to the big league in 1987 by delivering eight successful films in the year.

Dharmendra then appeared in Dadagiri, Hukumat and Aag Hi Aag.

Dharmendra's other hit ventures of the decade, include Khatron Ke Khiladi and Elaan-E-Jung.

In 2011, Dharmendra starred in Yamla Pagla Deewana and Tell Me O Kkhuda.

Dharmendra then appeared in sequels to Yamla Pagla Deewana, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 and Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se, but unlike the first film, both the sequels received poor audience response.

Dharmendra has worked with various directors, each with a different style of filmmaking.

Dharmendra worked with director Pramod Chakravorty in Naya Zamana, Jugnu, Dream Girl and Azaad.

Dharmendra returned to Punjabi cinema after a gap with the 2014 film Double Di Trouble.

Dharmendra served as a Member of the Indian Parliament from Bharatiya Janata Party representing Bikaner in Rajasthan from 2004 to 2009.

Dharmendra rarely attended Parliament when the house was in session, preferring to spend time shooting movies or working at his farmhouse, for which he was widely criticised.

In 2011, Dharmendra replaced Sajid Khan as the male judge of the third series of popular reality show India's Got Talent.

In 1983, Dharmendra set up a production company known as Vijayta Films.

Dharmendra then launched the career of his younger son, Bobby, in 1995 with Barsaat, which was again a super hit at the box office.

Dharmendra was the presenter for his films like Satyakam and Kab Kyun Aur Kahan.

Dharmendra is widely regarded as one of the most influential personalities in Indian cinema.

Dharmendra 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.

One of the most successful actors of the 1970s and 1980s, Dharmendra appeared in Box Office India's "Top Actors" list eighteen times from 1968 to 1984 and 1987.

Dharmendra holds the record for the highest number of hit films in the career of a bollywood actor, surpassing popular actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, and Dilip Kumar.