Hailing from a quaint Punjab village, Dharmendra ascended to the pinnacle of stardom during the 1970s in Hindi cinema. Fondly referred to as the `He-Man` of Indian cinema, Dharmendra was celebrated for his dashing visage and rugged charisma, a precursor to the `macho man` phenomenon in Bollywood. His on-screen collaboration with Hema Malini resulted in a string of blockbuster hits and eventually blossomed into a real-life union, uniting two of Hindi cinema`s most cherished icons. Meanwhile, in the family`s cinematic lineage, Dharmendra`s elder son, Sunny Deol, carved a niche for himself as a prominent action star during the 1980s, while his younger son, Bobby Deol, captured the hearts of audiences in the 1990s with his striking good looks. Dharmendra has passed away at 89 leaving behind an unmatched legacy.

Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra passed away on Monday at the age of 89. The actor leaves behind a legacy of more than 300 films over a career of more than six decades. Here is a collection of some of his rare pictures celebrating the superstar`s life and career