Dharmendra is an Indian film actor, producer and former politician, widely regarded as one of the most popular leading men of Hindi cinema. Active in the industry from the early 1960s, he has appeared in more than 250 films across genres including romance, action, drama and comedy. He is often referred to in the press by the epithet "He-Man of Bollywood".
| Birth name | Dharam Singh Deol |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 December 1935, Nasrali, Ludhiana district, Punjab, British India |
| Profession | Actor, film producer, former Member of Parliament |
| Years active | 1960 onwards |
| Debut film | Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960) |
| Spouses | Prakash Kaur; Hema Malini |
| Children | Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Vijeta, Ajeita, Esha Deol, Ahana Deol |
| Production house | Vijayta Films |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Constituency | Bikaner, Rajasthan (Lok Sabha, 2004–2009) |
| Civilian honour | Padma Bhushan (2012) |
Dharmendra was born into a Punjabi Jat Sikh family in the village of Nasrali in Ludhiana district. His father, Kewal Kishan Singh Deol, was a school headmaster. He spent his early years in Sahnewal and Lalton Kalan and was educated at Ramgarhia School in Phagwara. He entered Hindi cinema after winning a talent contest organised by Filmfare magazine, which brought him to Bombay (now Mumbai).
Dharmendra made his screen debut in Arjun Hingorani's Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960). His early career consisted largely of romantic roles opposite leading actresses of the period. He gained wider recognition through films such as Anpadh (1962), Bandini (1963) directed by Bimal Roy, Phool Aur Patthar (1966), which established his image as an action hero, and Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966).
The 1970s were the most commercially successful phase of his career. Major films from this period include Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Sholay (1975) directed by Ramesh Sippy in which he played Veeru opposite Amitabh Bachchan's Jai, Pratiggya (1975), Charas (1976), Dharam Veer (1977) and Chacha Bhatija (1977). He worked frequently with directors Pramod Chakravorty, Manmohan Desai and Ramanand Sagar, and formed an enduring on-screen pair with Hema Malini in films such as Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Dream Girl (1977) and The Burning Train (1980).
In the 1980s, Dharmendra continued in mainstream action and drama, including Naseeb (1981), Ghazab (1982), Ghulami (1985) and Hukumat (1987). He launched his production company, Vijayta Films, which produced Betaab (1983), the launch vehicle for his elder son Sunny Deol, and later Barsaat (1995), which introduced his younger son Bobby Deol.
From the 1990s onwards he took on character and supporting roles. Notable later appearances include Apne (2007), in which he featured with Sunny and Bobby Deol, Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011) and its sequels, Life in a... Metro (2007) directed by Anurag Basu, and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023) directed by Karan Johar.
Dharmendra contested the 2004 general election as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan and was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha. He did not seek re-election in 2009 and has not held subsequent political office.
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954; they have four children, including the actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. He later married actress Hema Malini in 1980; they have two daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. The Deol family is one of Hindi cinema's prominent acting dynasties; his nephew Abhay Deol and grandson Karan Deol are also actors.
Dharmendra is recognised as a pivotal figure in the transition of Hindi cinema's leading-man archetype from the romantic hero of the 1960s to the action-driven protagonist of the 1970s. His pairing with Hema Malini, his role in Sholay, and the establishment of the Deol family as a multi-generation acting lineage have made him a lasting figure in Indian popular culture. Vijayta Films also contributed to the careers of his sons and to the action-romance template of 1980s and 1990s Hindi cinema.