'Anupama' to 'Chupke Chupke': Dharmendra's collaborations with director Hrishikesh Mukherjee
One of Hindi cinema's most towering figures, Dharmendra has been basking in acclaim for decades, thanks to Sholay, Dharam Veer, and Bandini, etc. It is no mean feat to debut in 1960 and continue to chart new heights even in 2023, while also being engaged in upcoming projects! On his 88th birthday, we revisit Dharmendra's most iconic collaborations with seminal director Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
'Anupama' (1966)
Anupama, which co-starred Sharmila Tagore, marked the first collaboration between Mukherjee and Dharmendra. IMDb describes the plot, "Mohan Sharma (Tarun Bose) is a workaholic whose life changes dramatically after his wife dies giving birth to their daughter Uma (Tagore). He despises the daughter by day, and adores her when drunk at night." Dharmendra plays Ashok, with whom Uma later falls in love with.
'Satyakam' (1969)
Satyakam is decked with the best of the stars: Dharmendra, Ashok Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Asrani, and Dina Pathak. Recipient of the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi, it had music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and lyrics by Kaifi Azmi. Dharmendra essayed Satyapriya Acharya, a young engineer guided by staunch, unyielding principles about life. Tagore played his love interest yet again.
'Guddi' (1971)
Guddi—available on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube— was headlined by Jaya Bachchan, with Dharmendra playing himself, an actor the titular character is obsessed with. Remembered for the cameos of actors such as Rajesh Khanna, Om Prakash, Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, and Dilip Kumar, it is counted as one of the most memorable films of both Jaya's and Dharmendra's careers.
'Chupke Chupke' (1975)
It's not enough to watch Chupke Chupke just once; once you watch it for the first time, you will find yourself wanting to re-watch it instantly. Chupke Chupke, based on the premise of confusion of identities, is regarded as one of Mukherjee's best works, and he is also credited with introducing Dharmendra to the comedy genre. It's streaming on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.
