Dharmendra, also fondly known as Bollywood’s He-Man, is one of the loved actors in Indian cinema. In his career of over six decades, he has delivered one hit after the other, captivating audiences with his impressive acting skills and macho-man image

From playing a romantic hero to a comic character, Dharmendra has done it all. But did you know it was an antagonistic role that turned out to be a breakthrough, changing the trajectory of his career?

Dharmendra made his debut in the film industry in 1960 with Arjun Hingorani’s romantic drama Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere and initially took on supporting roles. In the first few years of his career, his films did not perform well at the box office. Then came 1964, and his entire life changed.

He featured in Mohan Kumar’s Ayee Milan Ki Bela, featuring Jubliee star Rajendra Kumar and Saira Banu. This is the only film in Dharmendra’s career where he played a villain.

The film was a box office success. Its popularity opened doors of superstardom for Dharmendra, making him a household name and establishing him as one of the bankable actors in the industry.

Ayee Milan Ki Bela was the first time he worked with such well-known faces and a respected director. The story of the film revolved around two long-lost brothers, Shyam (jubilee star Rajendra Kumar) and Ranjeet (Dharmendra), who fall in love with the same girl, Barkha (Saira Banu).

Dharmendra’s performance stood out the most. His villainous character, who challenged the film’s lead actor, left audiences surprised and impressed. More than Rajendra Kumar, who was the lead, Dharmendra’s performance turned out to be the show stealer.

After the film’s release, one thing that everyone talked about was the young, muscular, and charming Dharmendra, who made a bold choice to play the antagonistic character. The film became a huge box office success as well.

According to box office reports from that time, Ayee Milan Ki Bela made a record-breaking Rs 2.25 crore, which was a massive amount back then.

Penned by Sachin Bhowmick and Sarshar Sailani, the film also featured Nasir Hussain, Shashikala Jawalkar, Sulochana Latkar, Sunder, Madan Puri, Mumtaz Begum, and others in pivotal roles.

The film, produced by J Om Prakash, featured music composed by Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal and Shankarsingh Raghuwanshi. Meanwhile, the cinematography of the film was handled by V Babasaheb.

Following this film, Dharmendra’s career took off like never before. Offers from top filmmakers started pouring in, and he never looked back. The actor, who is still active in the industry, will be next seen in the film Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films.