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Veteran superstar Dharmendra made his Bollywood debut in 1960 with director Arjun Hingorani’s Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, but widespread recognition came six years later with the 1966 romantic drama Phool Aur Patthar, opposite Meena Kumari. Over the decades, Dharmendra starred in numerous memorable films, including Aaya Sawan Jhum Ke, Jeevan Mrityu, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Sita Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Sholay, Pratigya, Charas, Dharam Veer, Ghulam, and Hukumat. Interestingly, Dharmendra appeared in two films with the same title — Loha — released a decade apart, both of which gained notoriety in their own ways. The first Loha (1987), an action-adventure directed by Raj N. Sippy, was a major box-office success at the time. Though later categorised as a B-grade film, it remains a cult favourite on television reruns. Released on January 23, 1987, the film featured an ensemble cast including Shatrughan Sinha, Karan Kapoor, Raza Murad, Madhavi, Mandakini, Amrish Puri, Kader Khan, Jugal Hansraj, and Tej Sapru. The story, written by Mohan Kaul and Ravi Kapoor, had a screenplay and dialogues by Kader Khan, while Salim Akhtar produced the film. The soundtrack by Laxmikant-Pyarelal included five songs penned by Farooq Qaiser, with chartbusters such as Tu Ladki Number One Hai, Teri Hasti Hai Kya Jo Mitaega, and Patli Kamar Lamba Baal. Made on a budget of Rs 2.5 crore, Loha grossed Rs 6 crore worldwide, ranking as the ninth highest-grossing film of 1987. That year proved especially successful for Dharmendra, who delivered eight consecutive hits — including Hukumat, the year’s top earner, as well as Aag Hi Aag, Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Watan Ke Rakhwale, Insaaf Ki Pukar, and Jaan Hathli Pe. The film, rated 5.9 on IMDb, also featured Shashi Kapoor’s son, Karan Kapoor, who performed several risky stunts and acted in the movie despite not being fluent in Hindi, completing his dialogues in just nine days. Despite the film’s success, his Bollywood career was short-lived as he later pursued photography. Shooting locations included Karnataka, Ooty, and Mysore, with Shera Ka Adda filmed on the famous Sholay hill in Ramanagaram. Notably, Amrish Puri’s rugged look in Loha became quite distinctive. A decade later, Dharmendra starred in another Loha (1997), directed by Kanti Shah, a film that would later gain infamy for its over-the-top action, eccentric dialogues, and outrageous characters. Also featuring Mithun Chakraborty, Manisha Koirala, Govinda, Mohan Joshi, Shakti Kapoor, Ramya Krishnan, and Kiran Kumar, the film was notorious for its crude humour and bizarre villain names. Though considered a B-grade film at the time, the 1997 Loha has since achieved cult status, especially on social media, where its dialogues and scenes have become popular meme material — a testament to its unintentional yet enduring entertainment value.
