[8] He is the most successful actor in Hindi cinema, holding the record for the highest number of hit films, surpassing Amitabh, Shahrukh and Dilip Kumar.

[13] He consistently starred in several successful Hindi films from the late-1960s to the 1980s, such as Ankhen, Shikar, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Jeevan Mrityu, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Jugnu, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Dost, Sholay, Pratiggya, Charas, Dharam Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Ghulami, Hukumat, Aag Hi Aag, Elaan-E-Jung and Tahalka,[14][15] as well as some of his acclaimed performances, include Anpadh, Bandini, Haqeeqat, Anupama, Mamta, Majhli Didi, Satyakam, Naya Zamana, Samadhi, Resham Ki Dori, Chupke Chupke, Dillagi, The Burning Train, Do Dishayen and Hathyar.

[16][17] Beginning in the late 1990s, he appeared in character roles in several successful and acclaimed films, such as Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Life in a... Metro, Apne, Johnny Gaddaar, Yamla Pagla Deewana, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.

[50] Based on the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the film proved to be a major critical and commercial success, eventually emerging a superhit with one of its song "Ab Tumhare Hawaale Watan Saathiyon", a solo by Mohammed Rafi becoming hugely popular among the masses.

An adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo, it proved to be major critical and commercial success, eventually emerging a blockbuster and one of the top earners of 1970.

[70] His next two films, Bhappi Sonie's Tum Haseen Main Jawan and Asit Sen's Sharafat, both opposite Malini proved to be superhits at the box office.

[75] His flow of successes continued in the following year with another massive blockbuster in Seeta Aur Geeta, a superhit in Raja Jani and a hit film, Samadhi to go with the major grossers.

While Jheel Ke Us Paar was a hit, the latter proved to be a blockbuster in India as well as Soviet Union, eventually taking 2nd spot at the box office in 1973.

[83] His next two releases were - Ravikant Nagaich's spy thriller Keemat and Adurthi Subba Rao's light-hearted drama film Jwaar Bhata.

Yaadon Ki Baaraat, directed by Nasir Hussain and written by Salim-Javed is widely identified as the first masala film of Indian cinema and proved to be another blockbuster for the actor as well as the second best-selling Bollywood album of the 1970s.

[89] His final release of the year, Arjun Hingorani's actioner Kahani Kismat Ki continued his dream run and emerged a superhit at the box office.

[90] The following year, Dharmendra added one more blockbuster in his kitty with Dulal Guha's social drama Dost co-starring Shatrughan Sinha and Hema Malini.

Set against the backdrop of the expulsion of Indian community from Uganda by its dictator Idi Amin in 1972, it opened to bumper response all over the nation and emerged a superhit at the box office.

[110] The year 1977 proved to be a big one for Dharmendra with a mega blockbuster in Manmohan Desai's action drama Dharam Veer, a superhit in another of Desai's masala film Chacha Bhatija, followed by two more successful films in Arjun Hingorani's mystery thriller Khel Khilari Ka and Pramod Chakravorty's action comedy Dream Girl.

[114] Post-1977, the quality of Dharmendra's films dropped and so the number of huge grossers, but his initial draw remained intact, owing to which the flow of successes continued till the 1990s.

[117] The film co-starring Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini and Parveen Babi didn't live up to the expectations and ended up as an average fare, however gained cult status in later years.

[119] In 1981, he had a superhit in Kaatilon Ke Kaatil, but other releases, such as Aas Paas and Krodhi failed to leave a mark while Brij Sadanah's big-budget actioner Professor Pyarelal ended up as an average grosser.

[123][124] The next year, he had seven releases, out of which Baazi, Jagir, Jeene Nahi Doonga and Dharm Aur Qanoon did reasonable business, but rest were critical and commercial failures.

[125] In 1985, Dharmendra starred in J. P. Dutta's action drama film Ghulami which also had Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Reena Roy and Smita Patil in the lead.

[126] Its song, "Zeehale Muskin Makun ba-Ranjish", sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Shabbir Kumar was a chartbuster and topped the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala.

His first two releases were - Rajkumar Kohli's and Raj N. Sippy's actioners Insaniyat Ke Dushman and Loha, respectively, both of which proved to be box office hits.

[129] This was followed by T. Rama Rao's hit venture Watan Ke Rakhwale and two more successful films, Insaaf Kaun Karega with Rajinikanth and Insaf Ki Pukar, co-starring Jeetendra.

From 1990 to 1992, his successful films included Naakabandi (1990), Veeru Dada (1990), Humse Na Takrana (1990), Kohraam (1991), Virodhi (1992) and Tahalka (1992), which also proved to be his final hit as a lead actor.

[136][137] In the mid-1990s, he delivered average fares in Policewala Gunda (1995) and Mafia (1996), but his other releases, including biggies, such as Maidan-E-Jung (1995) and Return of Jewel Thief (1996) proved to be box office failures.

It opened to a polarising response from reviewers but grossed over ₹3.5 billion (US$40 million) worldwide and proved to be a hit as well as the tenth highest-grossing Indian film of the year.

[159][160] The following year, Dharmendra co-starred alongside Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon in the romantic comedy Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.

[161] The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics, but still did a lifetime business of ₹1.3 billion (US$15 million) worldwide to emerge a commercial success.

[169] He rarely attended Parliament when the house was in session, preferring to spend time shooting movies or working at his farmhouse, for which he was also widely criticised.

In its maiden venture Betaab, released in 1983, Vijayta Films launched Dharmendra's elder son Sunny Deol as the lead actor.

[183] Dharmendra most notable acting performances include Satyakam with Hrishikesh Mukherjee,[184] and Sholay, which is listed by Indiatimes as one of the "top 25 must see Bollywood films of all time".