Explore the life and legacy of Dharmendra, the beloved He-Man of Bollywood and a cultural icon of Indian cinema.
India’s renowned star Dharmendra also known as the “He-Man” of Bollywood. This nickname came from his roles in a string of action movies. These roles cemented his legacy spanning more than six decades and 250 films.
december 8th 1935 in Punjab dharam was born. He also served as a parliament member. He was honoured with one of India’s highest civilian awards..
He struck stardom after becoming the first Bollywood actor to act on screen shirtless. This bold move prompted a flood of love letters from female fans.
Dharmendra passed away on Monday at 89. He relocated to Mumbai in 1958 after taking top honours in a talent hunt. The talent hunt was organised by a popular celebrity magazine.
His matinee-idol looks quickly caught the eye of producers. He started his film career in 1960. His first role was in the melodrama “Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere” (“My Heart is Yours, As am I”).
he played the lead role in “Phool Aur Patthar”in 1966 drama (“Flower and Stone”), that he appeared topless.
“He whipped off his shirt in the film. Hindi filmmakers realized they needed to acknowledge female sexuality. This realization happened for the first time,” noted the Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema.
Over the years, Dharmendra shared the screen with leading stars. These included Nutan, Meena Kumari, and Sharmila Tagore. Yet, his most enduring partnership was with Hema Malini, Bollywood’s first woman superstar.
Their 1980 wedding caused quite a stir, as Dharmendra had no plans to divorce his first wife, Prakash Kaur. He and Malini welcomed two daughters together.
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