Dharmendra, a brilliant actor, was even more impressive than Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan

Dharmendra Death: Dharmendra's image on the silver screen is unique. He was a fun-loving person, moving around, dancing, singing, and making waves on the silver screen. He may have a rock-solid physique but possessed a gentle heart. Everyone remembers the song from the film Pratigya, where he sings with Hema Malini in a carefree manner, "Main Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana..." Indeed, Dharmendra's entire personality matches the lines of this song. Dharmendra was naturally arrogant, and the Indian feel of his characters in films is unique.

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He never clung to superstardom, nor did he care about any superstar of his time. He never even worried about which honors he received or which he didn't, nor did he compete.

Dharmendra was an actor who was considered even more ineffective in acting than Bollywood's first superstar, Rajesh Khanna, and the "Megastar of the Century," Amitabh Bachchan.

Bollywood's "He-Man," Dharmendra, has passed away

Dharmendra has always encouraged many junior actors like Vinod Khanna and Mithun Chakraborty. He was deeply saddened by Vinod Khanna's ill health and his passing. When Mithun Chakraborty received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, he was the first to congratulate him. Dharmendra's stature was unmatched by any superstar of his time. Rajesh Khanna became a superstar before him, and Amitabh Bachchan was called the Angry Young Man. But Dharmendra, who hails from Ludhiana and belongs to the Jat Sikh Deol family, continued working in his own style.

Dharmendra's first film

It was the year 1960. Dharmendra had won the Filmfare Talent Contest and emerged victorious in a national competition, but making a place in the industry was not easy. He knew that only acting could sustain him in films. Arjun Hingorani's first film was "Mili Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere." Today, this film is remembered for two reasons: it was Dharmendra's first film, and secondly, Mukesh sang the song "Mujhko Is Raat Ki Tanhai Mein Awaaz Na Do..." which still touches people's hearts.

So, Dharmendra's character in this film is remembered.

Dharmendra's early films flopped, leading to deep despair. However, close filmmaker friends like Manoj Kumar consoled him and kept him in Mumbai. At that time, Manoj Kumar was also a struggling actor. He stopped Dharmendra from going back to Punjab, saying, "The two brothers will work together here and make a living together. If we earn two loaves of bread, we will share one." These words from Manoj Kumar comforted Dharmendra, and he stayed in the industry.

Bandini brought him money and fame

Dharmendra was, however, hardworking, combative, and entrepreneurial from the very beginning. His films were failing, and he wasn't confident he could become an actor. Consequently, he devised a plan B for his struggle. The film Bandini, released in 1963, was directed by Bimal Roy. Dharmendra got the opportunity to work with actors like Ashok Kumar and Nutan in this film, and it proved to be a turning point in his life.

His pairing with Meena and Hema Shined

Among Hindi film actresses, Meena Kumari was a star whose acting was said to overshadow the hero of any film she appeared in.

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Meena Kumari admired Dharmendra and even insisted on directors to give him roles.

It's worth noting that by the 1970s, Hema Malini had also entered the screen, and Hema was beginning to establish herself. Her beauty, dancing skills, and acting skills were making waves on screen. Audiences fell in love with his acting. It was during this period that Dharmendra and Hema Malini formed a pair. In 1970, they appeared together in Tum Haseen, Main Jawan, and Sharafat. But the pair became a hit with Sita Aur Geeta. This pairing continued with Sholay, Dream Girl, and Aas Paas.

Unaffected by Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan

Dharmendra's evergreen and carefree image remained intact. The man who delivered classic films like Bandini and Satyakam and who managed to establish himself even during Dev Anand's era, Dharmendra was unaffected by either Rajesh Khanna of the 1970s or Amitabh Bachchan of the 1980s.

Summary

Dharmendra's water tank scene in Sholay is indelible. Similarly, Dharmendra's witty dialogues in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Chupke Chupke are memorable. Later, Dharmendra made the film Apne in 2007. Anil Sharma directed it. Both sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, were also in the film, but Dharmendra's impact was unique. Dharmendra, appearing on screen after a long time, once again underscored that his presence is a headline-grabber, no matter what generation of actors he stars in. Whether it's Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani or Teri Baatein Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Dharmendra also excelled in these films. Now, his film "Ekkis" is about to release.