Hindi film icon Dharmendra, one of the most celebrated and successful leading men in Bollywood history, died on Monday at the age of 89. The actor, who had been recovering at home after a serious health scare earlier this month, passed away at his residence in Juhu. He was later cremated at the Pawan Hans crematorium in the presence of close family members. Dharmendra is survived by his wives, Prakash Kaur and actor Hema Malini, and his six children, including film stars Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Esha Deol.
Dharmendra’s Film Career
Born in a village in Ludhiana in 1935, Dharmendra made his film debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. Through the 1960s, he carved a space for himself as a romantic hero, appearing in films such as Bandini, Ayee Milan Ki Bela and Khamoshi, often playing second leads alongside major female stars. Chetan Anand’s 1965 war drama Haqeeqat earned him wider recognition, but it was Phool Aur Patthar in 1966 that established him as a bankable star.
Over the next decade, he featured in several of Bollywood’s biggest hits, including Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Seeta Aur Geeta, Chupke Chupke, Sholay and Yaadon Ki Baraat. In the 1980s, he transitioned into action cinema, leading ensemble casts and low-budget crime dramas and cementing his image as the “He-Man of India”.
Dharmendra was among the few major stars to successfully reinvent himself as a character artiste, appearing in films such as Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Johnny Gaddaar and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. He also acted alongside his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol in the Yamla Pagla Deewana series and Apne. His final film, Ikkis, is scheduled for release next month.
Dharmendra’s Personal Life
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur at the age of 19, and the couple have four children, including Sunny and Bobby Deol. In 1980, he married his long-time co-star Hema Malini, with whom he has two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol.
A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Dharmendra also had a brief political career. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Bikaner in 2004 on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket and served one term as a Member of Parliament.
