Jeetendra, Still Bollywood's Dancing Star@73

Jeetendra, the dancing star of the Seventies and Eighties, seems to have lost none of his zest for life as he turns a year older. The veteran actor and chairman of Balaji Telefilms is seen regularly at Bollywood's A-list parties. 2014's Happy New Year paid a tribute to the actor in the song Sharabi in which the stars of the film emulated his famous dance moves in a sequence.

As he turns 73, we take a look at his film and personal journey so far.

Jeetendra was born Ravi Kapoor in Amritsar in 1942 to a Punjabi business family. He spent his childhood in Girgaum, Mumbai, which he still visits during Ganesh Chaturthi every year.

In October 18, 1974, Jeetendra married his childhood sweetheart Shobha.

Jeetendra and Shobha have two children. Son Tusshar is an actor just like his father while daughter Ekta, who runs Balaji Telefilms, is arguably the most powerful woman in the Indian television industry.

Jeetendra started his career in 1959 when filmmaker V Shantaram gave him his first break in Navrang. After this first role, Jeetendra went on to make it big in Bollywood.

Four years later, V Shantaram cast him as the lead in 1963's Sehra and then in Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne (1964).

Jeetendra's first golden jubilee success was Farz (1967). The song Mast Baharon Ka Main Aashiq became very popular and the T-shirt and white shoes that he wore in it became his trademark in Bollywood. His vigorous dancing in Farz and Banphool (1971) won him the epithet of ‘Jumping Jack'.

Among Jeetendra's most popular roles was Gulzar's Parichay (1972), a version of hit Hollywood musical Sound Of Music in which the actor played tutor to five orphaned children.

A famous role was in the superhit Caravan (1971) opposite Asha Parekh. Caravan is still famous for its songs, especially Chadti Jawaani where he matched steps with Aruna Irani.

Other hit movies of the Seventies included Khilona (1970), Khushboo (1975), Nagin (1976) and Kinara (1977). Jeetendra also won acclaim in ensemble films like Dharamveer (1977) and The Burning Train (1980).

In the 1980s, Jeetendra was frequently paired with Sridevi and Jaya Prada in remakes of South Indian movies.

He was also paired opposite Reena Roy in many films like Jaise Ko Taisa (1973), Nagin (1976) and Arpan (1983).