Veteran actor Dharmendra is regarded as one of the greatest stars in the history of Hindi cinema. With a career spanning over three decades and more than 300 films, he ruled the big screen from the 1960s through the 1990s. Even in his late 50s, Dharmendra proved that age was no barrier to stardom.

One such moment came 34 years ago, when the senior superstar unexpectedly outperformed his own son, Sunny Deol, at the box office—creating a major buzz in the film industry.

Father vs son at the box office

Dharmendra made his Bollywood debut in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere and rose to superstardom by the 1970s. Sunny Deol entered the industry in 1983 with Betaab, which was a massive success and quickly established him as a leading man.

By the early 1990s, Sunny Deol was at the peak of his career. However, in 1992, audiences witnessed a rare box-office clash between father and son—both films were successful, but Dharmendra emerged as the bigger winner.

Dharmendra’s blockbuster: Tahelka

The film that gave Dharmendra the edge was Tahelka, released on June 26, 1992. Directed by Anil Sharma, the film featured a powerful ensemble cast including Amrish Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Mukesh Khanna, Aditya Pancholi, Javed Jaffrey, Pallavi Joshi, and Shikha Swaroop.

Despite Dharmendra being 57 years old at the time, Tahelka turned out to be a massive hit. The film earned approximately ₹16.25 crore, making it the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1992 and a certified blockbuster.

Sunny Deol’s hit: Vishwatma

Sunny Deol’s release that year was Vishwatma, which hit theatres on January 24, 1992. Directed by Rajiv Rai and produced by Gulshan Rai, the film was critically appreciated and became especially famous for the chart-topping song Saat Samandar.

The film starred Divya Bharti, Naseeruddin Shah, Chunky Pandey, Amrish Puri, and Idris Malik. Vishwatma collected around ₹9.5 crore at the box office and ranked as the sixth highest-grossing film of 1992.

A rare and unforgettable moment in Bollywood history

While both films were successful, Tahelka clearly outperformed Vishwatma in terms of revenue—marking a rare instance where a veteran star overshadowed his superstar son at the box office.

This moment not only highlighted Dharmendra’s enduring screen presence but also cemented his status as a timeless Bollywood icon.