Dharam Singh Deol (Dharmendra) was born on December 8, 1835, in Punjab, Northern India. His family was conservative; the boy was kept under strict discipline and allowed no entertainment. But one day, 14-year-old Dharam went to a movie theater, where he realized that all his life he had dreamed of becoming an actor, even back when he did not know what cinema was. And he decided to leave his family home, only to become, several years later, the pride of his family, his town, and an entire country.
But the beginning of his career did not coincide with his departure from home at all. He started working as a driller at the American Drilling Company. Then His Majesty Chance came along, and Dharmendra entered a “we’re looking for talent” contest organized by Filmfare magazine. The young man caught the attention of people in the film industry, and he was invited to Bombay, the capital of Indian cinema (Bollywood), for an audition. For his first movie, he was paid a fee that was enough for only one sandwich. His first movies were generally not very successful; he was considered a terrible actor, his face too static, but Dharmendra did not give up and worked on himself. And one fine day, his naive hero’s smile brought him success: “I was never satisfied with how I looked on screen. I always asked directors to reshoot scenes, explaining that I looked bad from one angle or another.”
The 1970s and 1980s were the most successful years for the actor. Movies starring Dharmendra—“Seeta and Geeta,” “Flower and Stone,” “Anupama,” “Revenge and the Law,” “My Name Is Clown,” “Beloved Raja,” “King of the Jungle,” “The Eternal Tale of Love,” “The Adventures of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”—
drew packed houses at movie theaters. Comedies, melodramas, action movies—he shone in every genre, but the most famous were the movies featuring Dharmendra and Hema Malini. Dharmendra officially has two wives. With his first wife, Prakash Kaur, whom the actor married at the age of 19, he has two sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol, and two daughters, Vijayeta and Ajita. With his second wife, actress Hema Malini, he has two daughters, Ahana and Esha. His love story with Hema deserves a separate Indian movie, preferably a series. Dharmendra did not want to leave his family and could not live without his beloved. Hema could not go against her parents’ wishes and live with a married man. But then Hema’s father suddenly died, and the Malini family accepted the situation. Dharmendra secured recognition of the second marriage as valid, although Hinduism does not permit bigamy. Dharmendra and Hema have been together for more than 30 years: “It was meant to happen, and I regret nothing,” says the actress. “He still looks at me the same way he did when he first saw me. He still makes me feel special.”
Dharmendra produces movies and appears in them with his sons. The legend of Indian cinema has nearly 300 movies to his credit. The actor considers his explosive temper his greatest flaw: “I cannot hide everything that happens inside me. At times, I get very angry and do not hesitate to show it. I understand that anger brings nothing but destruction. But I cannot help it, though I deeply regret the actions committed in fits of rage.” His fiery temperament is not only a negative trait, but also a positive one, especially in art. It is precisely this that helps the actor set the hearts of his fans ablaze. Love, the support of friends and family, and the devotion of viewers are what motivate Dharmendra to new cinematic achievements.
