Legendary actor Dharmendra passes away; Interesting facts about Dharmendra’s career
Legendary actor Dharmendra, fondly known as Bollywood’s He-Man, has passed away at the age of 89. He had been battling illness for a long time, and his health had been steadily deteriorating.
He-Man of Bollywood
Having tasted his first commercial success as early as his sophomore film — Shola Aur Shabnam — in 1961, Dharmendra gradually went on to become a superstar known for macho roles. The actor’s continuous blockbusters were a symbol of masculinity and heroism, earning him the tag of ‘He-Man of Hindi cinema’.
Not just a hero
Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), directed by Mohan Kumar and produced by J. Om Prakash, was an important film for the gifted actor. In the movie, Dharmendra played a character with grey shades, and his performance won him widespread praise.
Rise of Rajesh Khanna and a healthy competition
Rajesh Khanna stormed the scene in 1969 with runaway hits such as Aaradhana and Do Raaste. Even as other actors faced the heat with the arrival of a new star, Dharmendra held his own. The actor established his reputation as a bankable star with hits such as Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Yakeen, Pyar Hi Pyar and Aadmi Aur Insaan in the same year.
A memorable stint with Mohammed Rafi
The legendary Mohammed Rafi sang several evergreen numbers for Dharmendra. With over 100 songs for the superstar, the partnership contributed to the rich history of Hindi film music. ‘Mere Dushman Tu Meri Dost’ from Aaye Din Bahaar Ke (1966), ‘Main Jat Yamla Pagala Deewana’ from Pratigya (1975), ‘Aaj Mausam Bada Beiman Hai’ from Loafer (1973), etc., were some of the all-time hits of the two.
A hit pair with Hema Malini
The 1970s witnessed the successful chemistry of Dharmendra and Hema Malini on the big screen. Starting off with Bhappi Sonie’s Tum Haseen Main Jawaan (1970) and Asit Sen’s Sharafat (1970), the pair established their success story with movies such as Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Samadhi (1972) and Raja Rani (1972). Including Sholay (1975), the real-life couple starred in more than 30 movies.
Sholay stories: Veeru or thakur
Sholay, the cult classic, recently turned 50. The 1975 action drama is remembered for its famous characters. Thakur Baldev Singh, the character of the retired police officer, was essayed by the gifted Sanjeev Kumar. Dharmendra had shown his interest in playing the role. When the actor realised that playing Veeru would help him be the love interest of Hema Malini in the movie, he decided to let go of the Thakur character. Pran and Dilip Kumar were also considered for essaying Thakur by director Ramesh Sippy.
