Mumbai, Dec. 8 -- On Bollywood icon Dharmendra's 90th birth anniversary - the first after his demise - the Indian film industry finds itself looking back at a life that was intertwined with the very evolution of Hindi cinema.
The actor, who passed away on November 24, remains an irreplaceable figure in the cultural memory of millions.
Born in 1935 in Nasrali, Punjab, Dharmendra rose from modest beginnings to become one of Bollywood's most recognisable and bankable faces. His journey began in 1960 with "Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tera", but his rise to stardom was swift, powered by a string of memorable roles in the 1960s and early '70s.
Within a few years, he had emerged as one of Hindi cinema's most dependable leading men, thanks to acclaimed...