These stars won over audiences with their powerful performances.
Dharmendra began his Bollywood journey in 1960 with his first movie Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere.
Indian cinema has evolved significantly over time. From the era of black and white films to the present one – it has been captivating audiences’ hearts for ages. During the 60s, actors like Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra made their debut. They won over audiences with their powerful performances. During this period, many other actors also started their careers in Bollywood. All of them made important contributions to Indian cinema. Let’s take a look at them:
Dharmendra
Dharmendra began his Bollywood journey in 1960 with his first movie Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. Dharmendra made a significant impact in his debut movie, but he gained true recognition with the film Phool Aur Patthar in 1966. Following its success, he went on to star in movies such as Satyakam, Dharmatma, Sholay and Aankhen. He was also honoured with a souvenir at the 14th National Film Awards for his performance in Anupama. In 1967, he starred in critically acclaimed films such as Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Majhli Didi, and Chandan Ka Palna.
Rajesh Khanna
The legendary actor entered Bollywood in 1966 with the movie Aakhri Khat. He captivated the audience with his debut film. In 1969, Rajesh Khanna starred in Shakti Samanta’s Aradhana, which proved to be his breakthrough and catapulted him to overnight superstardom. He received a nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Actor category for his performance in Aradhana. Additionally, in the same year, he delivered another historic blockbuster with Raj Khosla’s Do Raaste and achieved further success with Bandhan and Doli. The success of these films marked the onset of Rajesh Khanna’s superstardom in the early 70s.
Amitabh Bachchan
In 1966, Amitabh Bachchan entered the film industry. However, his first film was not successful, and he faced a string of 13 consecutive flops. Initially, he considered leaving the industry. However, his breakthrough came with the movie Zanjeer in 1973, which truly launched his career. Zanjeer was a crime film featuring violent action, which was a departure from the romantic themes typically seen in Bollywood at the time. It introduced Amitabh Bachchan in a new persona known as the ‘angry young man’ of Bollywood. His performance in the film earned him his first Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor, with Filmfare later acknowledging it as one of the most iconic performances in Bollywood history.
Vinod Khanna
Vinod Khanna, known for his handsome looks, began his career as an action hero. He made his debut in 1969 with the movie Mann Ka Meet. It was the film Hum Tum Aur Woh in 1971 that brought him true recognition in the industry. Transitioning from playing villains, Vinod Khanna successfully ventured into portraying popular heroes. He received his first break as the solo lead in Hum Tum Aur Woh (1971) opposite Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, followed by Gulzar’s Mere Apne. In 1973, his portrayal of an army officer facing death row in Gulzar’s Achanak garnered critical acclaim.