Dharmendra is an iconic figure in Indian cinema, particularly in Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry. Born Dharmendra Singh Deol on December 8, 1935, in Punjab, India, he began his acting career in the late 1960s. Dharmendra swiftly rose to prominence with his rugged charm, versatility, and intense performances, earning him the moniker “He-Man” of Bollywood.
The Indian government awarded him the third-highest civilian honor, the Padma Bhushan, in 2012. Over the course of his more than six-decade career, Dharmendra has appeared in over 300 films. He is regarded as one of the most prosperous actors in Hindi film history.
Dharmendra initially rose to fame in the middle of the 1960s with roles in movies like Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Kaajal, and Phool Aur Patthar, among others, following his small-scale film debut. Later on in life, he became even more famous, earning the moniker “India’s Garam Dharam” for a number of his Hindi film roles. From the late 1960s to the 1980s, he starred in a number of high-grossing Hindi films: Ankhen, Shikar, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Jeevan Mrityu, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Raja Jani, Jugnu, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Dost, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Pratiggya, Charas, Chacha Bhatija, Azaad, Ram Balram, Kaatilon Ke Kaatil, Dharam Veer, Naukar Biwi Ka, Ghulami, Hukumat, Aag Hi Aag, Elaan-E-Jung, Tahalka, and some of his most well-received roles are Anpadh, Bandini, Haqeeqat, Anupama, Majhli Didi, Satyakam, Sharafat, Samadhi, Resham Ki Dori, Chupke Chupke, Dillagi, The Burning Train, Samraat, Jagir, and Hathyar.
He acted in supporting parts in a number of popular and critically acclaimed movies starting in the late 1990s, including Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Life in a… Metro, Apne, Johnny Gaddaar, Yamla Pagla Deewana, and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.
For his services to Bollywood, he was granted the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He served as a representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Rajasthani Bikaner constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha of India.
Early and Personal life of Dharmendra
On December 8, 1935, Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol was born in Sahnewal, a village in the Ludhiana district of Punjab, British India. His parents are Satwant Kaur, a Punjabi Jat, and Kewal Krishan. Dangon, close to Pakhowal Tehsil Raikot, Ludhiana, is his ancestral village.
His father was the headmaster of the village school in Sahnewal, where he was raised, and he attended Government Senior Secondary School in Lalton Kalan, Ludhiana. 1952 saw him complete his matriculation in Phagwara. Punjabi schools were then affiliated with Punjab University, Chandigarh.
Before making his film debut, Dharmendra married Parkash Kaur in 1954 when he was just 19 years old. From this marriage, he had two successful film actors as sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, and two daughters, Vijeeta and Ajeeta. His nephew, Abhay Deol, is an actor as well.
Following his relocation to Bombay and his foray into the film industry, Dharmendra wed the controversial Hema Malini. There were rumors that Dharmendra and Hema Malini had converted to Islam in order to get married. In the early 1970s, he and Malini co-starred in several films, including Sholay. Esha Deol, an actress born in 1981, and Ahana Deol, an assistant director born in 1985, are the couple’s two daughters.
The son of Bobby Deol, his grandson, is also called “Dharam” in his honor.
Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, directed by Sunny Deol, marked the acting debut of Dharmendra’s grandson, Karan Deol, the elder son of Sunny Deol, in 2019. Rajveer Deol, the younger son of Sunny Deol, made his acting debut in 2023 in the film Dono, which was directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya’s son Avnish R. Barjatya.
In Lonavala, Dharmendra owns a farmhouse. His family is based in Mumbai’s Juhu.
He claimed in 2023 that Bollywood disregarded his family and never acknowledged their contribution to the film industry.
Career of Dharmendra
Early Career (1960-1970)
After winning the national Filmfare magazine New Talent award, Dharmendra left Punjab to work on a film in Mumbai. It was never made, though. Later, in 1960, he made his screen debut in the romantic drama Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere directed by Arjun Hingorani. The movie did not do too well at the box office since it was mainly ignored. He enjoyed box office success in the following years: 1961 saw Ramesh Saigal’s Shola Aur Shabnam; 1962 saw Mohan Kumar’s Anpadh; and 1963 saw Bimal Roy’s Bandini, which won the National Film Award in Hindi for Best Feature Film.
In 1964, he made his big screen debut in Ayee Milan Ki Bela costarring with Rajendra Kumar and Saira Banu. Even though Dharmendra was the antagonist, the audience took notice of him as it went on to become a box office smash. He starred in the highly regarded war drama Haqeeqat, directed by Chetan Anand, in the same year. With Mohammed Rafi’s rendition of the song “Ab Tumhare Hawaale Watan Saathiyon,” which became an instant hit and is played annually during India’s Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations, Haqeeqat also saw commercial success. Among his five releases in 1965, Neela Aakash and Kaajal turned out to be successful. Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, and Padmini were the main stars of Kaajal as well.
Dharmendra and Kumari reunited for Phool Aur Patthar, directed by O. P. Ralhan, in 1966. He became a marketable star when the movie became a blockbuster and topped the box office chart in 1966. For the movie, he was nominated for the first time in the Filmfare Award’s Best Actor category. Following Phool Aur Patthar’s success, Mamta, Devar, Anupama, and Aaye Din Bahar Ke all became hits. In addition, he received a memento from the 14th National Film Awards as payment for his role in Anupama. He appeared in two highly regarded movies in 1967: Chandan Ka Palna, which starred Kumari, and Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, which starred Nutan and Majhli Didi. With the release of Ramanand Sagar’s spy thriller Ankhen and Atma Ram’s mystery thriller Shikar in 1968, Dharmendra became well-known. Both movies had overwhelmingly positive premieres and became box office blockbusters, with the latter becoming that year’s highest-grosser.
Superstar Rajesh Khanna rose to fame in 1969 after his hit films Aradhana and Do Raaste took the country by storm. Actors like Rajendra Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, and Sunil Dutt saw a decline in popularity as a result of his rise. Dharmendra and Manoj Kumar were the only actors who didn’t get affected by Khanna’s popularity during this time. In the same year, Dharmendra played a righteous man in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Satyakam, which became a superhit, and he won a lot of praise for it. With Jeevan Mrityu, Tum Haseen Main Jawaan, and Sharafat, he achieved three significant hits in 1970. He also had a supporting part in Raj Kapoor’s masterpiece, Mera Naam Joker. The movie gained cult status in later years despite being a commercial failure when it first came out, and many critics hailed it as one of the greatest Indian movies ever made.
Superstardom, setback and return to success (1971-1997)
Dharmendra starred in the action drama Mera Gaon Mera Desh, directed by Raj Khosla, in 1971. The movie proceeded to turn into a huge box office hit. Phool Aur Patthar gave Dharmendra the impression of a physically strong star, but Mera Gaon Mera Desh gave the image a rubber stamp. The path of Hindi cinema was also altered by this movie since big-budget films that were released earlier had mostly been romantic dramas set in the Kashmir valleys and featured popular music. The industry changed to action after this movie’s enormous success. The movie served as a prelude to the Dharmendra movie Sholay, which was strikingly similar to Mera Gaon Mera Desh. In the category of the Filmfare Award for Best Actor, Dharmendra was nominated twice.
The next year saw more hits, including a smash hit in Seeta Aur Geeta starring Hema Malini and superhits in Raja Jani starring Malini and Samadhi with Asha Parekh. He became a “Superstar” after causing a mass hysteria with Mera Gaon Mera Desh in 1971 and going on to achieve back-to-back number-one hits in 1972 with Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, and Samadhi. In his career, 1973 turned out to be a turning point. A. Bhimsingh’s Loafer, his debut album, featuring Mumtaz, was a huge hit thanks to its songs “Aaj Mausam Bada Be-Imaan,” “Main Tere Ishq Mein,” and “Koi Shehri Babu,” which became hits right away.
The action drama Jugnu and the mystery thriller Jheel Ke Us Paar came out after Loafer’s box-office success. Although Jheel Ke Us Paar became popular, the latter became a massive blockbuster and ranked second at the box office in that same year. Jugnu was so successful that it was also remade as Guru in Tamil and Telugu (1980). His next two releases were the lighthearted drama Jwaar Bhata directed by Adurthi Subba Rao and the spy thriller Keemat directed by Ravikant Nagaich. Both the critical and commercial reviews for the films were positive. Dharmendra portrayed the lead in Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Blackmail, and Kahani Kismat Ki towards the end of the year.
Directed by Nasir Hussain and written by Salim-Javed, Yaadon Ki Baaraat is regarded as the first masala film in Indian cinema history. It was also the second best-selling Bollywood album of the 1970s and another hit movie for the actor. Conversely, Blackmail, Vijay Anand’s romantic thriller, was a commercial and critical failure at first, but it gained positive reviews later on, with many praising it as one of Anand’s best-kept secrets. Starring Dharmendra and Raakhee, the song “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” became a chartbuster and is still well-known today. Kishore Kumar sang the dance number “Rafta Rafta Dekho” in Arjun Hingorani’s actioner Kahani Kismat Ki, his last release of the year and another huge hit.
Dharmendra added Dost as another box office hit to his collection in 1974. His other big releases of the year, Resham Ki Dori and Patthar Aur Payal, also turned out to be successful endeavors. For his work in the latter, he was nominated for a fourth and final time for a Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
The public’s outrage over the 1975 Emergency contributed to the success of movies where the main character rebels against the establishment and corruption. The box office was altered by the transition from sentimental and social films to action-packed multi-starrers. Even though Amitabh Bachchan became a superstar that year, Dharmendra stayed steadfast and kept putting out hit after hit song.
Dharmendra co-starred with Bachchan in two movies in 1975. Mukherjee’s lighthearted comedy Chupke Chupke was the first.[88] Critics gave it positive reviews, and it went on to become a box-office success. The second was Sholay, an actioner by Ramesh Sippy. On August 15, 1975, the day of Indian Independence, it was released in Bombay. Poor reviews and a dearth of powerful visual marketing tools contributed to its low financial returns during the first two weeks of operation. But thanks to encouraging word of mouth, viewership increased starting in the third week.
In order to prevent Amitabh Bachchan’s character from dying, the director and writer thought about reshooting a few scenes during the first slow period. They gave up on this plan when the business started to pick up. Sholay quickly gained notoriety as an “overnight sensation” after releasing a soundtrack with dialogue samples. The film was later distributed in other distribution zones, such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, and Hyderabad, on October 11, 1975.
It ended up becoming the highest-grossing Hindi-language movie of 1975, and the movie was named an All-Time Blockbuster by the movie ranking website Box Office India. Sholay became the first movie in India to celebrate a silver jubilee[b] at more than 100 theaters and went on to earn an impressive record of 60 golden jubilees[a] throughout the country.
It ran for 103 weeks at Kolkata’s Jyoti Cinema in addition to being shown nonstop at Bombay’s Minerva Theatre for more than five years. The longest-running Indian film at the box office was Sholay until Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) broke the record in 2001 with 286 weeks. He produced another hit movie, Pratiggya, directed by Dulal Guha, towards the end of the year. The movie was dubbed a “masterpiece in the comedy” because, in addition to its powerful action sequences, it also featured a noteworthy comic track in the form of “slapstick” comedy.
Dharmendra and Sagar got back together for the action thriller Charas in 1976. It became a box office smash, set against the backdrop of Uganda’s Indian community being driven out by dictator Idi Amin in 1972. In Maa, he also gave a semi-hit performance. With the historic blockbuster Dharam Veer, the superhit Chacha Bhatija, and the two hits Dream Girl and Khel Khilari Ka, 1977 proved to be a great year for Dharmendra. Dharam Veer performed in 23 cities over five cities in the United Kingdom. Motivated by the popularity of Rafi’s songs, the movie made a record-breaking £50,000 in the UK, or ₹438,140 (US$50,001.71). Furthermore, in the Soviet Union, the movie sold 32 million tickets.
The caliber of Dharmendra’s movies declined after 1977, but his charisma stayed strong and helped movies succeed into the early 1990s.
He saw some success with Phandebaaz and a hit song in Azaad in 1978. Additionally, he starred in Shalimar, an Indo-US production that at the time was the most expensive movie ever made in India. Shalimar did not do well commercially, but its R. D. Burman-composed soundtrack did well thanks to hits like “Mera Pyaar Shalimar,” “Hum Bewafaa Hargiz Na The,” and “One Two Cha Cha,” sung by Asha Bhosle and Usha Uthup, respectively. Later, the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die included the soundtrack. Dharmendra starred in Kartavya and Dil Kaa Heera in 1979. Both movies ended up earning mediocre sums.
He got back together with Bachchan and Anand for Ram Balram in 1980. It turned into a box office success and became the third highest-grossing movie of 1980. Alibaba Aur 40 Chor and The Burning Train were his other releases of the year. While the film’s box office performance was mediocre, critics praised the cast’s performances, the action scenes, and the soundtrack. It’s considered a cult classic by many now. Alibaba Aur 40 Chor was a worldwide box office success as well as a hit in India. With 52.8 million box office admissions, it was the 32nd highest-grossing domestic film of all time and the fifth highest-grossing domestic film in the Soviet Union in 1980. This was worth roughly ₹161.13 million ($20.5 million, or 13.2 million Rbls).
The movie brought in $28.13 million (₹221.13 million) worldwide. After accounting for inflation, this translates to $104 million (₹7.7 billion) in 2023. The movie is estimated to have sold 74 million tickets worldwide, with 21 million of those sales occurring in India and 52.8 million in the Soviet Union. Additionally, Dharmendra had a brief role in the popular revenge drama Insaaf Ka Tarazu directed by B.R. Chopra.
With Kaatilon Ke Kaatil, one of the highest-grossing movies of 1981, he scored a superhit; however, his other two releases, Krodhi and Aas Paas, were box office busts. With Teesri Ankh, Ghazab, Baghavat, Samraat, Rajput, Main Intequam Loonga, and Badle Ki Aag, he achieved a few triumphs in 1982. His string of hits included a superhit called Naukar Biwi Ka and hits like Jaanidost and Qayamat in 1983. However, his big-budget period drama Razia Sultan bombed at the box office and is best remembered for Lata Mangeshkar’s solo song “Aye Dil-E-Nadaan.”
Between 1984 and 1986, Dharmendra experienced a brief downturn as his films, Sultanat, Sitamgar, and Sunny, proved to be critical and commercial failures. His hit movies during this time were Jeene Nahi Doonga (1984), starring Shatrughan Sinha; Dharm Aur Kanoon (1984), starring Rajesh Khanna and Jagir; Baazi (1984); and Ghulami (1985), which Mithun Chakraborty costarred in. With 38 million admissions at the Soviet box office, Jagir was the highest-grossing Indian film of 1984 in the USSR.
In 1987, Dharmendra returned with a bang, starring in eight successful films. Along with three other successful films, Insaaf Ki Pukar, Dadagiri, and Jaan Hatheli Pe, he also starred in Hukumat, Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Loha, Aag Hi Aag, and Watan Ke Rakhwale. He had an average grosser with Khatron Ke Khiladi in 1988, and then a superhit with Elaan-E-Jung film, Anil Sharma’s film, in 1989. Tahalka (1992) turned out to be his final major hit movie in a leading role. He did mediocre business with Policewala Gunda (1995) and Mafia (1996), while multi-starrers like Kshatriya (1993), Maidan-E-Jung (1995), and Return of Jewel Thief (1996) got a lackluster reception at the ticket booth.
In 1997, Dharmendra won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. Dharmendra broke down in tears as he accepted the award from Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Banu, stating that despite appearing in almost a hundred hit movies and numerous successful productions, he had never won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. My only complaint will be to God Almighty when we meet: why did you not make me as attractive as Dharmendra?- Dilip Kumar stated, during this occasion.
Character roles (1998-present)
Dharmendra has acted in character parts since the late 1990s. Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998), starring Sohail Khan, was his first character film. Critics gave the movie high marks, and it went on to become a box-office smash. However, his subsequent two films, Kis Kis Ki Kismat (2004) and Kaise Kahoon Ke… Pyaar Hai (2003), was a commercial failure.
Following this, he took a short break before making three films back in 2007. These were Johnny Gaddaar by Sriram Raghavan, Apne by Anil Sharma, and Life in a Metro by Anurag Basu. Life in a… Metro and Apne both turned out to be critical and financial hits. Though a box office failure, Johnny Gaddaar garnered critical acclaim and eventually became a cult figure. 2011 saw Dharmendra in the lead roles of Tell Me O Kkhuda and Yamla Pagla Deewana. While Tell Me O Kkhuda did not do well at the box office, Yamla Pagla Deewana performed well and became a hit. Subsequently, he starred in Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (2013) and Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se (2018), the films’ sequels, which, in contrast to the original, were not well-received by the public.
He starred in the high-profile family drama Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, directed by Karan Johar, in 2023. Critics gave the movie varying degrees of praise, and it went on to become a box-office success. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya and Ikkis (both in 2024) are scheduled to feature Dharmendra.
Frequent collaborations
His marriage to Hema Malini proved to be his most fruitful combination. Tum Haseen Main Jawaan, Sharafat, Naya Zamana, Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Jugnu, Dost, Patthar Aur Payal, Sholay, Charas, Maa, Chacha Bhatija, and Azaad are just a few of the movies in which the couple appeared together.
He has collaborated with a number of directors, all of whom have distinct filmmaking philosophies. He worked with director Arjun Hingorani for the longest, from 1960 to 1991. Dharmendra made his screen debut in Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, which also happened to be Arjun’s first film as director and featured Dharmendra as the main character. They collaborated on projects in Kabul? Kyoon? Arjun Hingorani was the producer and director of Aur Kahan?, Khel Khilari Ka, Katilon Ke Kaatil, Kahani Kismat Ki, and Kaun Kare Kurbanie. He was also the producer of Sultanat and Karishma Kudrat Kaa. He collaborated with director Pramod Chakravorty on the films Azaad, Dream Girl, Jugnu, and Naya Zamana. He collaborated with Anil Sharma on a number of movies, including Apne, Tahalka, Elaan-E-Jung, Farishtay, and Hukumat.
Political career of Dharmendra
From 2004 to 2009, Dharmendra represented Bikaner in Rajasthan as a member of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) for the Bharatiya Janata Party. His offensive statement during the 2004 election campaign that he should be elected dictator perpetuo in order to teach the “basic etiquette that democracy requires” drew harsh criticism. He was also heavily criticized for not spending more time working at his farmhouse or filming movies, which he preferred to do when the house was in session.
Television career of Dharmendra
2011 saw Dharmendra take over as the third series’ male judge on the hit reality show India’s Got Talent, following Sajid Khan. With Dharmendra serving as the new judge, the show debuted on Colors TV on July 29, 2011, surpassing the first-season viewership of the previous two seasons.
He made his on-screen debut as Salim Chisti in the historical series Taj: Divided by Blood, which debuted on ZEE5 in 2023.
Producing and presenting films
Dharmendra founded Vijayta Films, a production company, in 1983. With the 1983 release of Betaab, Dharmendra’s older son Sunny Deol made his acting debut for Vijayta Films. The film came in second place in terms of box office receipts this year. He produced the action movie Ghayal (1990), which starred Sunny as well. Seven Filmfare Awards were won by the movie, including the Best Film honor. The National Film Award for Best Popular Film Offering Healthful Entertainment went to it. Then, in 1995, Dharmendra gave his younger son Bobby his big break with the box office smash hit Barsaat.
He presented his films, including Kab Kyun Aur Kahan (1970) and Satyakam (1969).
Dharmendra All Bollywood Movie List:
| Film | Role | Year |
| Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere | Ashok | 1960 |
| Shola Aur Shabnam Boy Friend | Ravi (Bunnu) Inspector Sunil Singh | 1961 |
| Soorat Aur Seerat Anpadh Shaadi | M. Nath R. Malhotra | 1962 |
| Bandini Begaana | Dr. Devendra Prakash | 1963 |
| Ayee Milan Ki Bela Pooja Ke Phool Mera Qasoor Kya Hai Haqeeqat Ganga Ki Lahren Aap Ki Parchhaiyan Main Bhi Ladki Hoon | Ranjit Balraj Captain Bahadur Singh Ashok Chandramohan Chopra (Channi) Ram | 1964 |
| Purnima Neela Aakash Kaajal Chand Aur Suraj Akashdeep | Prakash Aakash Rajesh Surajprakash A. Malik Tarun | 1965 |
| Phool Aur Patthar Mohabbat Zindagi Hai Mamta Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya Devar Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi Anupama Aaye Din Bahar Ke Paari | Shakti Singh / Shaaka Amar Barrister Indraneel Ashok Shankar J. Rai / Bhola Jitendra Gupta (Jiten) Ashok Ravi Ghanashyam Dhali | 1966 |
| Majhli Didi Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai Ghar Ka Chirag Dulhan Ek Raat Ki Chandan Ka Palna | Bipinchandra (Bipin) Ashok Ajit | 1967 |
| Shikar Mere Hamdam Mere Dost Izzat Baharon Ki Manzil Ankhen Baazi | Ajay Singh Sunil Shekhar / Dilip P. Singh Dr. Rajesh Khanna Sunil D. S. P. Ajay | 1968 |
| Yakeen Satyakam Khamoshi Pyar Hi Pyar Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke Aadmi Aur Insaan Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke | Rajesh / Jackoss Satyapriya Acharya Dev Kumar Vijay Pratap Gupta Jaishankar Munish Mehra | 1969 |
| Man Ki Aankhen Tum Haseen Main Jawaan Sharafat Rajesh Mera Naam Joker Soldier Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan? Jeevan Mrityu Ishq Par Zor Nahin | Rajesh Agarwal Sunil Rajesh Mahendra Singh Thakur Daler Singh C. I. D. Inspector Anand Ashok Tandon / Vikram Singh Ram Kumar | 1970 |
| Kankan De Ole Rakhwala Naya Zamana Mera Gaon Mera Desh Guddi | Banta Singh Deepak Kumar Anoop Ajit | 1971 |
| Seeta Aur Geeta Samadhi Daku Raja Jani Lalkar Do Chor Anokha Milan | Raka Lakhan Singh / Jaswant Singh / Ajay Rajkumar Singh Major Ram Kapoor Tony Ghanshyam (Ghana) | 1972 |
| Loafer Phagun Keemat Kahani Kismat Ki Jugnu Jheel Ke Us Paar Jwar Bhata Yaadon Ki Baaraat Black Mail | Ranjit Gopal Gopal Ajit Sharma Ashok Roy (Jugnu) Sameer Rai Balraj Prasad (Billoo) Shankar Kailash Gupta | 1973 |
| Resham Ki Dori Patthar Aur Payal Pocketmaar Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam Do Sher Dost International Crook Kunwara Baap | Ajit Singh Ranjeet Singh Shankar Manav Shekhar Himself | 1974 |
| Saazish Kahte Hain Mujhko Raja Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty Chupke Chupke Sholay Pratiggya Chaitali | Jaideep (Jai) Balram Vishal Dr. Parimal Tripathi (Pyare Mohan) Veeru Inspector Devendra Singh / Ajit D. Singh Manish | 1975 |
| Santo Banto Chhoti Si Baat Apne Dushman Kahtey Hain Mujhko Raja Charas Maa | Brijesh Balram Suraj Kumar Vijay | 1976 |
| Chacha Bhatija Dream Girl Swami Tinku Kinara Aaina Khel Khiladi Ka Do Chehere Dharam Veer Charandas Chala Murari Hero Banne | Shankar Teja Anupam Verma Nautanki Dancer Chandan Arya Shaki Lutera / Raja Saab / Ajit Kanwar Pran (Drunkard) / C.I.D. S.P. Shukla Dharam Singh Qawwali Singer | 1977 |
| Phandebaaz Dillagi Azaad Giddha Shalimar | Rajkumar Kakkar / Rana Shantidas Swarn Kamal Ashok S.S. Kumar | 1978 |
| Dil Kaa Heera Kartavya | Custom Officer Rajat Sharma Vijay | 1979 |
| Chunaoti The Burning Train Alibaba Aur 40 Chor Insaaf Ka Tarazu Ram Balram | Shakti Singh Ashok Shing Alibaba Soldier Anil Dev Maini Ram | 1980 |
| Professor Pyarelal Krodhi Katilon Ke Kaatil Aas Paas Naseeb | Ram / Professor Pyarelal Vikramjit Singh (Vicky) Ajit / Badshah Arun Choudhury | 1981 |
| Rajput Teesri Aankh Samraat Main Intequam Loonga Ghazab Do Dishayen Baghavat Badle Ki Aag | Manupratap Singh (Manu) Ashok Ram Kumar Agnihotri (Bitto) Ajay Singh (Munna) Ajitesh Amar Singh Sher Singh (Shera) / Jaggu | 1982 |
| Ambri Putt Jattan De Razia Sultan Naukar Biwi Ka Jaani Dost Andhaa Kaanoon Qayamat | Dharam Singh Chaudhary Dharam Singh Yakut Jamaluddin Deepak Kumar / Raja Raju Truck Driver Shyam / Rajeshwar | 1983 |
| Sunny Ranjhan Mera Yaar Raaj Tilak Jeene Nahi Doonga Jagir Dharam Aur Kanoon Baazi Insaaf Kaun Karega Jhutha Sach | Indrajeet Zoravar Singh Roshan / Raka Shankar Rahim Khan Inspector Ajay Sharma Veeru Vijay / Tiger | 1984 |
| Karishma Kudrat Kaa Ghulami Sitamgar | Vijay / Karan Ranjit Singh Sonu / Shankar | 1985 |
| Saveray Wali Gaadi Mohabbat Ki Kasam Main Balwan Sultanat | Sher Singh Shop Owner D. C. P. Chaudhary General Khalid | 1986 |
| Insaniyat Ke Dushman Loha Hukumat Aag Hi Aag Mera Karam Mera Dharam Watan Ke Rakhwale Mard Ki Zabaan Insaaf Ki Pukar Dadagiri Superman Jaan Hatheli Pe Mit Jayenge Mitane Wale | Inspector Shekhar Kapoor Inspector Amar Inspector Arjun Singh Bahadur Singh / Sher Singh Ajay Shankar Sharma Mahavir Laxman Chauhan Vijay Singh Dharma Dada Jor-El Soni Kapoor | 1987 |
| Zalzala Soorma Bhopali Sone Pe Suhaaga Khatron Ke Khiladi Mardon Wali Baat Mahaveera Paap Ko Jalaa Kar Raakh Kar Doonga Ganga Tere Desh Mein | Inspector Shiv Kumar Mahendra Singh / Himself C. B. I. Officer Ashwini Kumar / Vikram Dada Balwant / Karamveer / Teesri Adalat Yadvinder Singh Ajay Verma Shankar Vijay Nath | 1988 |
| Sachai Ki Taqat Vardi Nafrat Ki Aandhi Hathyar Kasam Suhaag Ki Ilaaka Batwara Elaan-E-Jung Sikka Shehzaade | Constable Ram Singh Havaldar Bhagwan Singh Sonu Khushal Khan Inspector Dharam Verma Sumer Singh Arjun Singh Vijay Subedhar Zorawar Singh | 1989 |
| Veeru Dada Qurbani Jatt Di Pyar Ka Karz Naakabandi Humse Na Takrana | Veeru Dada Sarpanch Sucha Singh Shekhar (Shaka) Veer Singh (Veera) Amar | 1990 |
| Trinetra Raja Mast Kalandar Kohraam Farishtay Paap Ki Aandhi Dushman Devta | Raja Shankar Arjun Virendra Kumar (Veeru) Dharma / Mangal Shiva | 1991 |
| Khule-Aam Zulm Ki Hukumat Waqt Ka Badshah Tahalka Virodhi Humlaa Kal Ki Awaz | Shiva Pitamber Kohli Ex-Major Dharam Singh Inspector Shekhar Bhawani Police Commissioner Ali Haider Jaffrey | 1992 |
| Aag Ka Toofan Kundan Kshatriya | Dharam Singh / Inspector Arjun Singh Maharaj Prithvi Singh | 1993 |
| Maha Shaktishaali Juaari | Jaswant Singh (Jassi) Police Inspector Dharam Singh | 1994 |
| Policewala Gunda Maidan-E-Jung Aazmayish Taaqat Hum Sab Chor Hain Fauji Veer | A.C.P. Ajit Singh Shankar Shankar Singh Rathod Shakti Singh Vijay Kumar Fauji Shamsher Singh Veer (Veeru Bhaiya) | 1995 |
| Smuggler Return of Jewel Thief Himmatvar Aatank Mafia | Ajit Singh Police Commissioner Surya Dev Singh Sultan Jesu Fauji Ajit Singh | 1996 |
| Loha Jeeo Shaan Se Gundagardi Agnee Morcha | Shankar Brahma / Vishnu / Mahesh Police Commissioner Karan Singh Kishan Singh Bhatti | 1997 |
| Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya Zulm O Situm | Thakur Ajay Singh (Chacha) S.P. Arun | 1998 |
| Nyaydaata Munnibai Lohpurush | DCP Ram Ajit Singh | 1999 |
| Sultaan The Revenge: Geeta Mera Naam Meri Jung Ka Elaan Kaali Ki Saugandh Jallad No. 1 Bhai Thakur | Sultan Singh Baba Thakur Ajit Singh Sultan Singh Shankar | 2000 |
| Jagira Saugandh Geeta Ki Zakhmi Sherni Bhooka Sher | Ranbir Singh | 2001 |
| Reshma Aur Sultan Border Kashmir | 2002 | |
| Shiva Ka Insaaf Kaise Kahoon Ke… Pyaar Hai Tada | Shiva Dharam Balraj Singh Rana | 2003 |
| Sabse Badi Ganga Ki Saugandh Hum Kaun Hai? Kis Kis Ki Kismat | Virendra ‘Viru’ Hasmukh Mehta | 2004 |
| Life in a… Metro Apne Johnny Gaddaar Om Shanti Om | Amol Baldev Singh Chaudhary Sheshadri Himself | 2007 |
| Har Pal | Baba | 2009 |
| Yamla Pagla Deewana Tell Me O Kkhuda | Dharam Singh Dhillon Tony Costello | 2011 |
| Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 Singh Saab the Great | Dharam Singh Dhillon | 2013 |
| Double Di Trouble | Ajit / Manjit | 2014 |
| Second Hand Husband | Ajit Singh | 2015 |
| Jora 10 Numbaria | Jagga Baba | 2017 |
| Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se | Jaywant Parmar | 2018 |
| Jora: The Second Chapter Shimla Mirchi | Jagga Baba Foreign Minister | 2020 |
| Dream Catcher | 2021 | |
| Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani | Kanwal Randhawa | 2023 |
| Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya | Jai Singh Agnihotri | 2024 |
Award And Nomination of Dharmendra
| Year | Category | Film | Result |
| 1965 | Best Supporting Actor | Ayee Milan Ki Bela | Nominated |
| 1967 | Best Actor | Phool Aur Patthar | Nominated |
| 1972 | Best Actor | Mera Gaon Mera Desh | Nominated |
| 1974 | Best Actor | Yaadon Ki Baaraat | Nominated |
| 1975 | Best Actor | Resham Ki Dori | Nominated |
| 1984 | Best Comedian Best Film | Naukar Biwi Ka Betaab | Nominated Nominated |
| 1991 | Best Film | Ghayal | Won |
| 1997 | Lifetime Achievement Award | Won |
- Dharmendra received the World Iron Man award.
- Kalakar Awards- special award for his “contribution to Indian Cinema.”
- “Living Legend Award” – Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
- 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award – Sansui Viewers’ Choice Awards.
- 2004, Honored for Best Contribution to Indian Cinema.
- 2005, he received the Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement
- 2007, Lifetime Achievement Award – Pune International Film Festival
- 2007, IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 2007, Award for Humanitarian Services to the Indian Nation.
- 2007, Lifetime Achievement award by DBR Entertainment.
- 2007, the Punjabi newspaper Quami Ekta honoured him for his contributions to Indian cinema.
- 2008, he was named “Actor Par Excellence” at the Max Stardust Awards.
- 2008, Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) International Film Festival.
- 2009 – Lifetime Achievement Award- Nashik International Film Festival.
- 2010, he was honoured as the Big Star Entertainer for his half-century of excellence at the BIG Star Entertainment Awards.
- 2011, Lifetime Achievement Award at the Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Award.
- 2011, he received a “Salaam Maharashtra Award” for completing 50 years in the film industry.
- 2011, he was honoured with “The ITA Scroll Of Honour” at the Indian Television Academy Awards.
- 2020, he was honoured with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the state of New Jersey in the United States.
