Dharmendra Movies That Were Remade In South: Phool Aur Patthar, The Burning Train, To Sholay And Seeta Aur Geeta

Bollywood legend Dharmendra breathed his last at the age of 89 on November 24, 2025. This marks the end of an era, and many Bollywood actors, including Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, and Karan Johar, other members of the fraternity, came together to pay their final respects to the veteran actor.

The ‘He-Man’ of Indian cinema has long represented strength, charm, and a rare cross-cultural impact. From the 1960s to the 1980s, his films not only ruled the Hindi box office but also led to a series of hit remakes in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, where his iconic characters were reimagined for regional viewers.

His 1966 blockbuster Phool Aur Patthar, the film that turned him into an overnight star, shaped this legacy. Its emotional depth and intense drama inspired remakes such as Nindu Manasulu (Telugu, 1967), Oli Vilakku (Tamil, 1968), and Puthiya Velicham (Malayalam, 1979). Each version became a major success, proving that Dharmendra’s appeal truly reached audiences across India.

Another milestone in his career was Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), the much-loved twin-swap comedy starring Dharmendra and Hema Malini. Its universal storyline inspired Ganga Manga in Telugu (1973) and Vani Rani in Tamil (1974), both of which became major regional hits. Similarly, Insaf Ki Pukar (1973), another Dharmendra–Hema film, was adapted into Telugu while keeping its emotional depth and moral strength intact.

Celebrated as one of India’s greatest films, Sholay (1975), it also led to several southern remakes, with Veeru, Dharmendra’s iconic character, becoming a cult favourite. Interestingly, filmmaker Puri Jagannadh considered a Telugu remake in 2011 with Prabhas and Gopichand, but he dropped the idea after Ramesh Sippy advised him not to touch the classic.

This trend continued through the 1980s. The Burning Train (1980), a disaster thriller featuring Dharmendra, Hema Malini, and Vinod Khanna, was remade in Tamil and Telugu. Films like Rajput (1982) and Ghazab (1982) also crossed language barriers, inspiring adaptations that kept their emotional power while shaping the stories to suit local audiences.

The actor's last rites were held at the Pawan Hans crematorium, in the presence of close family only. The veteran actor was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital earlier this month.