Before Bollywood stardom, Dharmendra was paid just Rs 51 for his first film

Long before he became one of Indian cinema’s most beloved stars, Dharmendra struggled through the same uncertain beginnings that define every dreamer in Mumbai. As the nation mourns the legendary actor, who passed away on Monday morning at the age of 89 at his Juhu residence, old stories from his early years are resurfacing — stories that reveal his warmth, humility and humour.

One moment came on Salman Khan’s game show 10 Ka Dum, where Dharmendra appeared alongside his eldest son, Sunny Deol. After winning ₹1 lakh on the show, Salman asked what that amount would have meant to him back when he first arrived in Mumbai from Punjab, chasing his acting dreams. Dharmendra chuckled and replied, “Uss time lakh rupaye…" (In those times, a lakh...)

Salman then asked about his first film salary, and Dharmendra revealed
“Rs 3,500–7,000 aisa tha kuch… par usse pehle ek aur film mili thi, Arjun Hingorani ki.” (Rs 3500- 7000, but before that was a film named Arjun Hingorani).

He recalled sitting nervously in a producer’s office, hoping to receive at least ₹5,000. Instead, they handed him Rs 51 as a signing amount.

And what did he do with it? Dharmendra shared that he celebrated with friends.

From that Rs 51 beginning to becoming the unstoppable force behind classics like Phool Aur Patthar, Seeta Aur Geeta, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, and Sholay, Dharmendra’s journey remains one of Bollywood’s greatest stories of grit and stardom. By the 1980s, he had earned the title He-Man of India, redefining the action genre and becoming an icon for generations.