Dharmendra (8 December 1935 – 24 November 2025) was an Indian actor, producer and politician. He was one of the most popular and enduring stars in the history of Hindi cinema. His career lasted 65 years and more than 300 films. He was known as the “He-Man” of Bollywood and was equally at home in action, romance, drama and comedy, with films including Phool Aur Patthar, Satyakam, Chupke Chupke and Sholay, in which he played Veeru. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2012 and was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2026.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Dharam Singh Deol |
| Nickname | He-Man, Dharam Paaji |
| Born | 8 December 1935, Nasrali, Ludhiana district, Punjab, India |
| Died | 24 November 2025, Mumbai, India (aged 89) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Actor, producer, politician |
| Years active | 1960–2025 |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party (MP for Bikaner, 2004–2009) |
| Spouses | Prakash Kaur (m. 1954); Hema Malini (m. 1980) |
| Children | 6 (Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Vijeta, Ajeeta, Esha Deol, Ahana Deol) |
| Known for | Phool Aur Patthar, Satyakam, Seeta Aur Geeta, Chupke Chupke, Sholay, Dharam Veer |
Early Life
Dharmendra was born Dharam Singh Deol in the village of Nasrali in Punjab’s Ludhiana district, into a Jat family. His father was a village schoolteacher. He grew up in rural Punjab and was captivated by films as a young man. In the late 1950s he entered a new-talent contest run by Filmfare magazine, finished as a runner-up, and moved to Bombay to try his luck in films.
Career
Dharmendra made his debut in Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960). He first played mainly romantic and dramatic roles, and he won attention in Bimal Roy’s Bandini (1963) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anupama (1966). The action drama Phool Aur Patthar (1966), in which he appeared shirtless in a famous scene, made him a major star and established his “He-Man” image. Mukherjee’s Satyakam (1969), about an idealistic man, is often considered his finest performance.
Through the 1970s Dharmendra was one of Hindi cinema’s biggest box-office draws. His hits included Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). In the comedy Chupke Chupke (1975) he showed his comic timing. His most famous role was Veeru, the fun-loving small-time crook, in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay (1975), opposite Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. His scenes wooing Basanti became among the best-remembered moments in Indian cinema. He also starred in the swashbuckler Dharam Veer (1977).
Dharmendra kept working in action films through the 1980s and 1990s. He also produced films through his company, Vijayta Films, which launched his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol as actors. In later years he took character roles in Life in a… Metro (2007), Apne (2007) and the Yamla Pagla Deewana comedies with his sons. He had a well-received part in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), with Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, and appeared in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024). His final film, the war drama Ikkis, was released after his death.
Political Career
Dharmendra was elected to the Lok Sabha as the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for Bikaner, Rajasthan, in 2004. He served one term, until 2009.
Personal Life and Death
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954, and they had four children, including the actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. In 1980 he married the actress Hema Malini, his frequent co-star, and they had two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol. After a period of illness and a hospital stay, he died at his home in Mumbai on 24 November 2025, aged 89. His family held a private funeral.
Awards and Honours
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Dharmendra born?
Dharmendra was born on 8 December 1935 in Nasrali, Ludhiana district, Punjab, India.
When did Dharmendra die?
Died: 24 November 2025, Mumbai, India (aged 89).
What is Dharmendra known for?
Known for: Phool Aur Patthar, Satyakam, Seeta Aur Geeta, Chupke Chupke, Sholay, Dharam Veer.
Featured image: Dharmendra at a television event in Mumbai, January 2016. Photo by Bollywood Hungama, licensed under CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
