Why Dharmendra, Bollywood's most successful actor with more hits than Amitabh Bachchan, SRK, was never called superstar

Dharmendra starred in 75 successful films in his career, including 6 blockbusters and 7 superhits. Yet, he was never bestowed with the superstar tag.

Bollywood icon Dharmendra breathed his last on Monday (24 November). The veteran actor, 89, who had a stellar career spread across six decades, was at home after recovering from a health scare earlier this month. In a career that saw him play everything from action heroes to romantic leads, and even veteran statesmen, Dharmendra tasted more success than any other Bollywood hero. Yet, the tag of superstar eluded him curiously.

Dharmendra had 75 hits in his career as a lead actor.

Read: Dharmendra passes away days before 90th birthday

Dharmendra's stellar Bollywood career

Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol began his film career with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere in 1960 at the age of 24. Over the next few years, he appeared in supporting roles in hits like Bandini, Ayee Milan Ki Bela, and Kaajal.

Early in his career, Dharmendra did many films with more established heroines, like Nutan in Bandini.

But it was the 1965 war film Haqeeqat that turned him into a box office draw. Phool Aur Patthar followed, establishing him as a saleable star. From hereon, until the end of the 1970s, Dharmendra was consistently among the top Bollywood stars, appearing in hits like Anupama, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Loafer, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, and Dharam Veer.

In the 80s, he moved to action films, often leading ensembles in low-budget successes like Badle Ki Aag, Ghulami, Loha, and Elaan-E-Jung. In a career that spanned 64 years, Dharmendra starred in 75 hits, the most by any Hindi film actor in the lead role. This tally is more than the total career hits of superstars like Amitabh Bachchan (57), Rajesh Khanna (42), Shah Rukh Khan (35), and Salman Khan (38).

Dharmendra had more hits than even his good friend and colleague Amitabh Bachchan.

Why was Dharmendra never called a superstar

Even as Dharmendra delivered more hits than his contemporaries and juniors, he was never the top star of the industry. The tag had rested with Dilip Kumar when Dharmendra began his career, and was later taken over by Rajesh Khanna (briefly) and Amitabh Bachchan in the 70s. Most of Dharmendra's big hits in the 70s were either ensembles of two-hero films, including Sholay, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, and Dharam Veer. Other heroes were regularly giving solo hits.

In the 80s, when Dharmendra did give solo hits, the films were smaller in scale than the ones starring Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, or Rishi Kapoor. The prolific nature of his work meant that even though he appeared in 6 blockbusters and 7 super hits, Dharmendra also had a staggering 150 flops, the second-most for any Bollywood star (behind only Mithun Chakraborty). This low success rate meant that Dharmendra was never labelled a superstar.

In the 90s, Dharmendra starred in many low-budget action hits like Nakabandi.

Yet, Dharmendra was unapologetic about his decision to star in the so-called B-grade actioners. In an interview with HT in the late 80s, he had said, "I am fifty-plus and I am even jumping from helicopters these days. That must be a feat (giggles). But one cannot afford to be choosy. Age-old habits die hard. I love films a lot. I go on signing them at the very opportunity. And then, even if I know something won't run, I still try to give out the best. After all, I do so many films in a year which have the same story and out of which three run very well. But I cannot chuck out the rest. They come with an effort. The audience still likes to see me jumping around here and there and shooting the bad men, so what's wrong with continuing if the masses are happy?"

Dharmendra's later career

It was only in the late 90s that Dharmendra transitioned to senior roles, as both his sons - Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol - became established heroes in their own right. His first such role was Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya in 1998. Over the years, he appeared with his sons in the Yamla Pagla Deewana films and Apne. After the pandemic, now in his 80s, Dharmendra appeared in two films - Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. He is now set to appear in Sriram Raghavan's Ikkis, releasing next month.