Tribute to Indian HE-MAN

The year 2007 marked the comeback of Dharam paaji with consecutive 3 hits...Metro, Apne and johny Gaddar..
He is the only one hero who could play all kind of roles and succeed in all of them.
Come 1971..two movies were released on the same day...Naya Jamana and Mera Gaon Mera Des..two entirely different genre of movies and both were super hit...That was the charisma of Dharamji...Such was his screen-presence, he used to make every frame real. Remember him in the song "Hum bewafa..hargiz na the..." from Shalimar. His close-ups bring a kind of sadness to the entire frame. His personality had no limitations. Right from the uneducated loafer, truck-driver, jambura to highly qualified engineer, doctor, pilot, inspector he made characters look real.
Winner of Filmfare talent hunt in 1957, he was supposed to work with Bimal Roy and Guru Dutt...Bimal Roy offered him film like Bandini, but the movie with Guru dutt could never kick-off. But he learned a lot from both of these legends. Till 1966 he appeared in the films like Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960), Boyfriend (1961), Shola aur Shabnam (1961), Soorat Aur Seerat (1962), Shaadi (1962), Anpadh (1962), Begaana (1963), Bandini (1963), Pooja Ke Phool (1964), Mera Qasoor Kya Hai (1964), Main Bhi Ladki Hoon (1964), Ganga Ki Lahren (1964), Aayee Milan ki Bela (1964), Haqeeqat (1964), Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964), Purnima (1965), Neela Aakash (1965), Kaajal (1965),Chand Aur Suraj (1965), Akashdeep (1965), Mohabbat Zindagi Hai (1966), Mamta (1966), Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (1966), Devar (1966), Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966), Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966). Majority of these films were woman oriented films with Bengali background and Dharemndra used to play a modern liberal Bengali intellentsia who eventually protect the leading lady from the social atrocities. Some films like Aayee Milan ki bela and Haqeeqat were exceptions. In Aayee Milan ki bela he played a negative role which was well appreciated and he got more sympathi from the crowd than the actual hero of the film. Haqeeqat was the film made by Chetan Anand and Dharmendra got a very good role in it. Though he did not have any song in this movie, he left his impression on the movie.
His struggle continued till 1966 when his path-breaking film Phool and Pathar was released. The role of Shaka, gave him his first nomination for filmfare best actor...those were the days when there use to be only three nominations and only one award :), the other two nominated were Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand. Dev Anand got the Award for Guide, but Dharmendra did not lose heart from that..He continued his good work with the films like Anupama, Aankhen, Yakeen, Baazi, Shikar, Izzat, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Satyakam, Aadami Aur Insaan, Jeevan Mrityu, Guddi, Naya Jamana, Mera Gaon Mera Des, Yaadon Ki Baaraat..etc.
When the Storm of Rajesh Khanna swept the Industry, the only one who survived from it was Dharmendra. He had his own place in Industry and was considered Hero number one between 1972- 1975. This was the period when he did Jugnu, Pratigya, Seeta aur Gita, Kahani Kismat ki, Chupke Chupke, Sholay and many more hits...
By the time Sholay released he was already 40. He still continued his good work between 1975-82 with Charas, Dost, Blackmail, Azaad,Dream Girl, Shaalimar, Ram-Balram, The burning Train etc.
In the decade of 80’s he transformed himself in the role of He-Man. With the growing age he could not do the same romantic movies and hence he extended his career by doing many excellent action films like Bazi, Rajput, Raj Tilak, Gajab, Ghulami, Batwara, Hukumat, Loha. His films like Ghulami and Batwara are considered as classic films on Social issues like feudalism in India. With the film like Naukar Biwi Ka, he started a new genre of time-pass comedy movies which was later continued by Govinda.
Decade of 90s seen him retire from the A-grade movies. He did lot of movies in this period, but they were only for the purpose helping the small film makers. His films used to be hit in the Rural north india. But this made a very bad impression of him on the new generation, which now started considering Dharmendra as a hero of bad films...
From 2000-2005 Dharmendra was in semi-retirement phase. Then he relaunched himself with the film ’Kis Kis ki Kismat’ which was a flop, but 2007 he came back strongly with 3 consecutive hits.
I wish he continue his good work as a Character Artist on the model of Ashok kumar. Dharmendra has still lot to offer to this film industry, provided his potential is tapped properly. Despite of his some great performances, I think his best is yet to come. And as he himself said in Johny Gaddar..
"It’s not age, but the mileage...."