How Apne and the Yamla Pagla Deewana series defined Dharmendra’s screen legacy with his sons Sunny and Bobby

Dharmendra’s passing has brought renewed attention to one of the most remarkable family traditions in Indian cinema — a father and two sons who worked together not just as actors, but as partners in a shared journey across decades.

From the 1980s to the late 2010s, Dharmendra acted with Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol in several films, the most prominent of which hold a special place in Bollywood history. These collaborations were not simply casting choices, but reflections of a family legacy carried onto the screen.

A journey that began with ‘Sultanat’ (1986)

The first time Dharmendra and Sunny Deol appeared together in a full film was in ‘Sultanat’, released in 1986. It was a major commercial project of its time, featuring an ensemble cast and a storyline built around power, conflict, and royal politics. For fans, it marked a symbolic moment — the beginning of Sunny Deol’s journey alongside a father already established as one of Hindi cinema’s top stars.

While the film received mixed reviews, it is remembered as the work that first brought the Deol father and son together on screen. For the industry, it was a statement: Dharmendra’s cinematic legacy was now continuing into another generation.

‘Apne’ (2007) — The first film featuring all three Deols together

More than twenty years later came one of the most emotional collaborations in the family’s film history. ‘Apne’ (2007) marked the first time Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, and Bobby Deol appeared together in leading roles.

The story focused on a former boxing champion and his hope of restoring honour through his sons. The themes of failure, family pressure, and redemption resonated strongly with the audience, in part because the emotions on screen seemed to draw from real relationships. Dharmendra’s performance was widely praised, with many critics noting that the father–son bond in the film carried genuine emotional weight.

‘Apne’ became a major commercial success and revived Dharmendra’s on-screen visibility in a new era of Bollywood.

The ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’ franchise (2011–2018)

If “Apne” delivered emotional drama, the “Yamla Pagla Deewana” series brought the Deols into a space of comedy and mass entertainment.

Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011)

The first film in the franchise was a light-hearted, colourful entertainer in which Dharmendra played a charming conman alongside Bobby Deol, with Sunny Deol playing the straight-laced older brother. The film became a commercial hit and introduced the Deols to a younger audience.

Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (2013)

The second film continued the comedic tone, offering a larger, louder version of the earlier concept. Though reviews were mixed, audiences still welcomed the family on screen.

Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se (2018)

The third film reunited the trio once again, and while it did not achieve the box-office impact of the first, its promotional campaign strongly highlighted the emotional value of seeing all three Deols together.

Across the franchise, Dharmendra’s charm, spontaneity, and comic timing remained central. For many fans, these were films that allowed them to see Dharmendra not as a legend of the golden era, but as a relaxed father enjoying screen time with his sons.

Honorary mentions

Apart from the main films, the Deols also shared space in several cameo or short-appearance projects, including:

‘Poster Boys’ (2017) – Sunny and Bobby in lead roles, Dharmendra in a brief appearance

Special conversations and joint promotions across major television shows and film campaigns

While these appearances were small, they reinforced the public perception of a close-knit film family.

A legacy larger than the films

Dharmendra never shied away from expressing pride in his sons. In several interviews over the years, he said that seeing the three of them on screen together felt like “a blessing and a gift that few actors receive”. Fans shared that sentiment. When the three Deols appeared together, audiences were not only watching characters — they were watching a legacy continue.