MUMBAI, Nov 24: Dharmendra, one of India’s most enduring stars who sparkled bright right through a remarkable 65-year career spanning 300 films ranging from Satyakam to Sholay died here on Monday days ahead of his 90th birthday. The much loved actor, who lived most of his life in the blazing arclights of publicity, was cremated at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Mumbai’s Ville Parle suburb quietly and with little fuss.
He enjoyed a remarkable six-decade career, featuring in over 300 films and headlining classics such as Sholay, Chupke Chupke, Satyakam, Anupama, Seeta Aur Geeta and many others.
When he was not breaking hearts with his gentle smile, he was breaking bones of baddies with his biceps. And then there was his comic timing that left the audience bathed in mirth. Dharmendra was the rare star packing it all in a 65-year career with no full stops.
Dharmendra, who acted in more than 300 films, was often called a ‘Greek God’, a tag that hid a sensitive artist just a little eclipsed by his macho man roles.
Dharmendra was born Dharam Singh Deol in Nasrali village, Ludhiana district of Punjab on December 8, 1935, to an idealistic school teacher. The family moved to Sahenwal village after his father’s transfer when Dharmendra was just two. His father, a school teacher, hoped his son would become a professor.
Enamoured by the magic of the movies of Dilip Kumar and Madhubala, Dharmendra started nursing a different dream: to see his name up on the posters. He would often climb a bridge at local station and pray the Frontier Mail chugging through would one day take him to Mumbai, the city of dreams. It did. In 1958, Filmfare magazine announced a nationwide talent hunt. The young Dharam decided to try his luck, won the contest and packed his bags for Mumbai.
The first film he signed was Bimal Roy’s Bandini opposite Ashok Kumar and Nutan. While waiting for the movie to begin, he found it hard to make ends meet and worked in a drilling firm for Rs 200 a month to survive. The first break came in 1960 with Arjun Hingorani’s Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere in 1960. The debut was not a success. But he did get noticed.
After a series of films, including Ayee Milan Ki Bela and Haqeeqat and Kaajal, came stardom with the 1966 film Phool Aur Patthar opposite Meena Kumari.
That same year saw him in Anupama, his first film with director Hrishikesh Mukherjee who saw in him the gentle, supportive hero to Sharmila Tagore.
Mukherjee, who imagined Dharmendra differently from the rough screen persona of several of his other movies, went on to cast him in several films, including Chupke Chupke where his role as botany professor Parimal Tripathi will long be remembered.
Dharmendra the superstar bloomed to his full potential in the 70s and 80s when another big name was on the horizon: Amitabh Bachchan.
He teamed up with Bachchan in Chupke Chupke, and also memorably in Sholay where their roles as Jai and Veeru came to define male bonding, the two characters blending comedy, action and romance.
He was married to Prakash Kaur. They have four children – sons, actors Bobby and Sunny Deol, and two daughters Vijeta and Ajeeta.
In 1980, the actor tied the knot with his frequent co-star Hema Malini after allegedly converting to Islam, a claim Dharmendra denied. The couple share daughters Esha and Ahana.
The much publicised romance with Hema Malini blossomed during their many films together. These included Seeta aur Geeta, The Burning Train, Dream Girl and Sholay.
A year after getting married to Hema Malini, the patriarch of the Deol family established the production house Vijayta Films in 1981. It was created to provide a launch pad for his son Sunny Deol with 1983’s Betaab.
Ever the family man, Dharmendra used the banner to give a break to younger son Bobby Deol in Barsaat in 1995. In 2005, it was the turn of nephew Abhay Deol in Socha Na Tha. And in 2019, grandson Karan Deol got his moment in Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas.
Dharmendra shared screen space with sons Sunny and Bobby for the first time in 2007’s sports drama Apne. The Deol men also starred in comedy franchise Yamla Pagla Deewana, which borrows its title from a popular Dharmendra song from the film Pratigya.
The Deol family patriarch wasn’t keen on Esha joining films and never watched her film Dhoom, but later relented and worked with her in the 2011 film Tell Me O Kkhuda.
The remarkable career saw just a few awards.
As producer of the 1990 film Ghayal, starring son Sunny Deol, the veteran received a National Film Award for best popular film providing wholesome entertainment.
Also a Padma Bhushan recipient, Dharmendra dabbled in politics briefly, winning the Lok Sabha seat from Bikaner on a BJP ticket in 2004.
It has been an exeunt from the stage of life, but Dharmendra’s not quite done yet. In December this year, he will be seen in Ikkis, a war film by Sriram Raghavan.
True stars never die. They just sparkle in the distant firmament. (PTI)
