Dharmendra

Dharmendra (born Dharam Singh Deol, 8 December 1935 – 24 November 2025) was one of Hindi cinema's most iconic leading men, the 'He-Man of Bollywood', a superstar across action, romance and comedy for over six decades. Best known as Veeru in Sholay, he was also the patriarch of the Deol film family and a former MP.

Dharmendra, born Dharam Singh Deol on 8 December 1935 in Nasrali, Punjab, was one of the most iconic leading men in the history of Hindi cinema — widely known as the "He-Man of Bollywood." A hugely popular star across action, romance and comedy over a career of more than six decades, he was also the patriarch of the celebrated Deol film family. He passed away on 24 November 2025 at the age of 89. This page covers the Dharmendra biography, his age, family, films, wives, favourites and net worth.

The Dharmendra family came from a Punjabi Sikh farming background. His father, Kewal Kishan Singh Deol, was a government school teacher, and his mother was Satwant Kaur. As a boy he was fascinated by films — reportedly watching the movie Dillagi countless times out of admiration for the singer-actress Suraiya — and would travel long distances to reach the cinema.

Dharmendra studied up to the 12th standard in Punjab and had limited interest in academics. On his mother's suggestion, he sent his photographs to a Filmfare talent hunt, which he won — a victory that brought him to Mumbai and launched one of the most enduring careers in Indian cinema.

The Dharmendra career began with his film debut in Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960). His first major action success came with Phool Aur Patthar (1966), which earned him his first Filmfare Best Actor nomination and set him on the path to superstardom.

Through the late 1960s and 1970s Dharmendra became one of the biggest stars in the country, admired for his rugged good looks and versatility across action, romance and comedy. His most legendary role came as Veeru in Sholay (1975), and his on-screen and off-screen pairing with Hema Malini became one of Bollywood's most famous partnerships.

He turned producer, launching his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol into films, and became the head of the Deol acting dynasty. Beyond cinema, he served a term as a Member of Parliament from Bikaner and received numerous honours over his lifetime, including the Padma Bhushan and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

Questions about the Dharmendra wife and family are among the most searched. He married his first wife, Parkash Kaur, in 1954, with whom he had four children, including actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. In 1980 he married actress Hema Malini, with whom he had two daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. As the patriarch of the Deol family, he presided over one of the most prominent acting dynasties in Indian cinema, and remained a much-loved public figure until his death in 2025.

The Dharmendra net worth was reported by third-party outlets to run into the tens of crores of rupees, drawn from his decades of film work, production ventures, property holdings and other business interests — figures that are public estimates rather than confirmed numbers. His holdings reportedly included agricultural land, buildings in Mumbai and a collection of cars, reflecting one of the longest and most successful careers in Hindi cinema.