A career longer that most lifespans, a filmography of over 300 films.
The media that gave Dharmendra labels like 'He Man' and 'Garam Dharam' did him no favours. Focusing on his looks and ignoring his talent meant that the star was not taken as seriously as an actor, which was unfair.
The latter half of his career may have comprised mainly of actioners, but studded over the list of his films are titles that could have been handled only by a star with a professional approach and a sense of what would show his versatility and unpredictability.
There was nothing calculative about his choice of films, which is why quantity often overshadowed quality. But he worked with some of the best directors of his time, opposite the top leading ladies, 28 films with Hema Malini, whose marriage to him was accompanied by scandal.
He remained one of the most loved stars of all time, even when his movies tapered off, and age caught up with him.
Deepa Gahlot looks at 10 films that capture the trajectory of a remarkable career.
Bandini& (1963)
The first half dozen films of his career were forgettable and it was an honour for a young actor to be picked by the great Bimal Roy.
He was not the lead of the film, but he played a kind and gentle doctor, a man who falls in love with a woman (Nutan) convicted of murder, and wants to marry her.
Dr Deven was the kind of selfless man, often mistaken for weak.
Were it not for the next few films in which he played a more conventional hero, who knows if his career would have lasted so long?
Haqeeqat (1964)
In Chetan Anand's moving war epic, Dharmendra stood out in a multi-star cast, as Captain Bahadur Singh, one of the brave soldiers who laid down their lives defending a small mountain outpost from Chinese attackers.
He has a romantic track with a Ladakhi girl (Priya Rajvansh), who also suffers for the country.
Dharmendra looked ruggedly handsome in uniform, which possibly led to a change of image from romantic to action hero.
Phool Aur Patthar (1965)
O P Ralhan's film was a turning point in his career. He played a criminal, Shaka, who becomes the protector of a helpless widow (Meena Kumari) mistreated by her in-laws, and falls in love with her. His cohorts and her greedy relatives are not too pleased.
The story was bold for the times, Dharmendra's shirtless scenes sparked his sex appeal and and he got a Filmfare Award nomination.
Satyakam (1968)
Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the film based on a Bengali novel by Narayan Sanyal, and gave Hindi cinema one of its finest and most complex characters.
Satyapriya Acharya is truthful and principled even if his ideals cause him nothing but suffering, and a strained relationship with his wife (Sharmila Tagore).
The film won a National Award, but no trophy for the star who deserved appreciation for playing the role with such empathy.
Jeevan Mrityu (1969)
He had been doing successful mainstream films, but took on this Rajshri production, directed by Satyen Bose.
It was not a double role, but the male lead had two distinct looks.
A hardworking and honest bank manager is framed by his colleagues and goes to prison.
When he comes out, he takes on a new identity as a Sikh, Bikram Singh, and sets out to seek justice and clear his name.
Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971)
In Raj Khosla's film he played Ajit, reformed criminal who starts working on a farm in a village that is being terrorised by the dacoit, Jabbar Singh (Vinod Khanna).
Ajit decides to fight the dacoit and rid the community of the dacoit menace.
The film was a success and Dharmendra got nominated for a Filmfare award.
Sholay (1975)
In Ramesh Sippy's classic, he played the vivacious Veeru to Amitabh Bachchan's taciturn Jai, both hired by the Thakur of Ramgarh to help the villagers fight the evil Gabbar Singh and his gang of bandits.
Dharmendra had some of the best lines, comic scenes, romance with the garrulous tangewali, Basanti (Hema Malini), and brought the full force of his star power to make the character unforgettable.
Chupke Chupke (1975)
Hrishikesh Mukherjee's comedy featured Dharmendra as Professor Parimal Tripathi, who is so annoyed by his wife singing the praises of her brother-in-law (Om Prakash), that he decides to prove that he is a normal human being too, by playing a prank.
He pretends to be the driver, and ropes in his friend Sukumar (Amitabh Bachchan) to pose as Parimal.
Things get complicated when the fake Parimal falls in love with another, and the pretence had to be brought to a satisfactory end.
The film is considered to be one of the best comedies made in Indian cinema and Dharmendra as the chaste Hindi speaking Pyare Mohan and prankster Parimal was again overlooked for acting awards.
Dharam Veer (1977)
Manmohan Desai's costume drama was a huge hit, in spite of its absurdly old-fashioned plot, and the stars had a lot to do with its success.
Set in a fictional kingdom, it is the story of twins separated at birth, who are friends in childhood, turn against each other due to the machinations of the villain, and then reunite to fight him.
Dharmendra and Jeetendra carried off the bizarre costumes and did the riding and sword-fighting with gleeful abandon.
Ghulami (1984)
When his hero days drew to a close, Dharmendra acted in J P Dutta's star-studded, large canvas epics that gave him strong roles, among them that of Ranjit Singh, who leaves his village due to the evils of feudalism, and returns on learning of his father's death, to fight against the oppression of the landlord and his family.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
