Unreleased gems: Dharmendra’s films that never made it to the big screen

Hindi cinema is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved stars, Dharmendra – the original ‘He-Man’ of Bollywood – who passed away at his Mumbai home on Monday at the age of 89.

While Dharmendra’s legacy is defined by his unforgettable performances in classics such as ‘Sholay’, ‘Phool Aur Patthar’ and ‘Chupke Chupke’, the actor also left behind a lesser-known list of films that, for various reasons, never saw the light of day. From production setbacks to financial disputes, these unreleased projects offer a fascinating glimpse into what could have been.

Har Pal

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jahnu Barua, ‘Har Pal’ featured Preity Zinta, Shiney Ahuja and Isha Koppikar, with Dharmendra playing Zinta’s father. The film, a romantic drama about two neighbours who fall in love, was delayed indefinitely following Shiney Ahuja’s 2009 court case, which affected its commercial prospects. Although producers once announced a 2010 release, the project was later shelved completely, with Barua confirming in 2014 that there were no plans to resume work on it.

Devdas

Dharmendra long dreamed of portraying Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s tragic hero Devdas, inspired by Dilip Kumar’s performance in Bimal Roy’s 1955 version. In the 1970s, filmmaker Gulzar began work on his adaptation with Dharmendra, Hema Malini and Sharmila Tagore in the lead. However, the film was abandoned midway due to financial difficulties. 

Gunda Master

This action film, starring Dharmendra alongside Suniel Shetty and Armaan Kohli, was announced with much fanfare but never made it to theatres. The project reportedly stalled during post-production, with no official explanation given for its shelving.

Sher

Featuring Dharmendra and Shammi Kapoor, ‘Sher’ was completed but became mired in production and distribution disputes, preventing its release. Despite wrapping up principal photography, the film remains one of the many unreleased titles in Dharmendra’s vast filmography.

Hum Mein Hai Dum

Directed by Deepak Bahry, ‘Hum Mein Hai Dum’ starred Dharmendra, Suniel Shetty and Sonali Bendre. Though the film was completed, it failed to secure a release for reasons never officially disclosed. Industry insiders speculate that financial setbacks and distribution hurdles contributed to its indefinite delay.

Jazbaa

Before Sanjay Gupta’s 2015 film of the same name, there existed an unreleased project ‘Jazbaa’, written and produced by Nanabhai Bhatt and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The ensemble cast included Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Rajendra Kumar, Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, Zeenat Aman and Prem Nath. Despite its star power, the film was shelved before release, joining the list of high-profile Hindi films that never reached the audience.

Ek Do Teen

This ambitious multi-starrer, directed by Vijay Anand and produced by Ramesh Sippy, was announced in 1980 with an impressive cast featuring Dharmendra, Dev Anand, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Hema Malini, Raakhee, Parveen Babi and Tina Munim. However, production troubles and scheduling conflicts led to its cancellation before completion.

Bichhoo

In 1983, Dharmendra was set to star opposite Shabana Azmi in ‘Bichhoo’, directed by Sai Paranjpye. The film, however, was scrapped due to creative disagreements. Interestingly, years later, his son Bobby Deol headlined a film of the same title alongside Rani Mukerji, which released in 2000.