His debut came with “Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere” (1960) — not a failure, but not quite the explosion that later roles would be. Audiences noticed the handsome newcomer. Directors noticed the quiet intensity he carried in his eyes.
Slowly, films began to come — “Ayee Milan Ki Bela”, “Kaajal”, “Haqeeqat” — each building a reputation brick by brick. Then came the turning point:
“Phool Aur Patthar” (1966) opposite Meena Kumari.
Dharmendra emerged not as another handsome face, but a screen presence. Audiences saw a man who could be rugged and romantic in the same breath — the country’s first true He-Man, with a marshmallow soul.
But destiny had one more gift — filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
Mukherjee saw what many hadn’t yet fully realised — the vulnerability beneath the striking looks. Beginning with “Anupama”, the director cast Dharmendra in a series of films where silence spoke louder than action. “Satyakam”, “Guddi”, “Chaitali” and “Chupke Chupke” displayed a tender, literate, thoughtful performer.
In an interview years later, with characteristic modesty, Dharmendra reflected:
“I have always broken my image every time I went on screen. I don’t know what it means to be a Greek god but people used to call me one.”
In truth, he was far more complex — the rare actor who could headline a patriotic drama in the morning and a romantic comedy in the evening.