Dharam is still Garam at 77

Sholay star and Deol patriarch Dharmendra turns 77 today. Dharam Singh Deol was born on December 8, 1935 in Punjab's Kapurthala district.

Dharmendra married his first wife Prakash Kaur in 1954 when he was 19. He has two sons, actors Sunny and Bobby and two daughters, Ajeeta and Vijeta, with her.

Dharmendra moved to Mumbai after winning the Filmfare new talent award. Among his early films was the acclaimed Bandini, co-starring Nutan and Ashok Kumar.

Haqeeqat, a movie set against the Sino-Indian War of 1962, was Dharmendra's first major hit.

He romanced Meena Kumari in the hits Kaajal (1965) and Phool Aur Patthar (1966) which was his first movie as the only male lead. He received his first Filmfare Best Actor nomination for the role.

Dharmendra earned critical acclaim as well as box-office success for Anupama in 1966. It was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who cast him opposite the gorgeous Sharmila Tagore.

As the Sixties drew to a close, Dharmendra was cast in colour movies like Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966) opposite Asha Parekh and Mere Humdum Mere Dost (1968) with Sharmila Tagore.

He starred with Sanjeev Kumar and Sharmila Tagore in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Satyakam in 1969. Dharmendra's performance as the man of convictions dealing with life in a newly independent India is considered among his career-best.

Dharmendra's next box-office hits were Pyar Hi Pyar (1969), Aya Saawan Jhoom Ke (1969), Jeevan Mrityu (1970) and Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971).

In 1971, Dharmendra appeared as himself, the object of Jaya Bhaduri's affection in the hit film Guddi.

Dharmendra and future wife Hema Malini made cinematic magic in films like Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Raja Jani and Jugnu (1973).

In 1973, Dharmendra featured in the musical blockbuster Yaadon Ki Baaraat. The film also starred Zeenat Aman, Vijay Arora and Tariq Khan.

Among Dharmendra's most admired roles is that of Professor Parimal Tripathi in the comedy Chupke Chupke (1975). The movie also featured Sharmila Tagore, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Om Prakash, David, Asrani and Keshto Mukherjee.

1975 brought with it the landmark Sholay. Praise was heaped upon Dharmendra's performance as the hard-drinking, humorous Veeru and, after a slow start at the box office, Sholay became Bollywood's defining film.

As the married Dharmendra wooed Hema Malini's character Basant while shooting Sholay, love blossomed for real. The romance raised eyebrows at the time but the couple finally married in 1980, converting to Islam so that Dharmendra did not have to divorce first wife Prakash. They had two daughters, Esha and Ahana and Dharmendra still maintains two families.

Dharmendra's Bollywood journey continued with Dream Girl (1977), Dharam Veer (1977) and Chacha Bhatija (1977).

Dharmendra played the role of a thief in the ill-fated Shalimar (1978). The movie also starred Zeenat Aman, Prem Nath, Aruna Irani, Shammi Kapoor and Hollywood actors Sir Rex Harrison, John Saxon and Sylvia Miles. The film flopped at the box office.

Despite Dharmendra's star status, he could not escape such box office turkeys as Shalimar (1978) and The Burning Train (1980). The Burning Train was disaster movie that was a box office disaster as well. The very apparent chemistry between Dharamendra and Hema Malini was among the few high points of the movie.

Also a disaster was Razia Sultan (1983) with Hema Malini playing the only female Sultan of Delhi. The film bombed at the box-office and Dharmendra's appearance as a black slave was especially reviled.

A string of flops hit Dharmendra with films such as Hathyar (1989), Batwara (1989), Farishtay (1991) and Tahalka (1992).

30 years after he debuted in 1960's Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, it seemed as though it was time for Dharmendra to wind up. But he wasn't ready to stop just yet. He tried his luck and failed with a character role in Kshatriya (1993). A string of forgettable and forgotten films followed.

In 1997, Dharmendra received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 2004 comedy Kis Kis Ki Kismat did nothing to revive Dharmendra's career, beyond hogging headlines for the kiss with Mallika Sherawat.

In 2007, things looked up a little. Dharmendra played senior citizen Amol in Life in a ... Metro, which was a semi hit.

In 2007 came the superhit Deol home production Apne starring both Sunny and Bobby with Dharmendra playing an ageing boxer.

He also worked in crime thriller Johnny Gaddar in the same year.

In 2011, Garam Dharam reunited with sons Sunny and Bobby in their first outing together after Apne in hit comedy, Yamla Pagla Deewana.

Dharmendra also made a guest appearance in Tell Me O Kkhuda, directed by wife Hema Malini and starring daughter Esha.

In 2004, Dharmendra forayed into politics and was elected a Member of Parliament from Bikaner in Rajasthan on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. However, he was severely criticized for ignoring his constituency and spending time in Bollywood.

In 2012, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

Dharmendra marked time on the small screen, appearing as a judge on reality show India's Got Talent and making a special appearance in the serial Sabke Sapne Saware Preeto.

He will be next seen in Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, a sequel to his 2011 film Yamla Pagla Deewana with his sons Sunny and Bobby.