Editing Dharmendra (section)

===1970–1977: Superstardom===

In 1970, Dharmendra delivered four major successes and formed a hit pair with [[Hema Malini]].<ref name="Express2"/> His first release was [[Satyen Bose]]'s [[Crime film|crime drama]] ''[[Jeevan Mrityu]]''. An adaptation of [[Alexandre Dumas]]'s novel ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo]]'', it proved to be major critical and commercial success, eventually emerging a blockbuster and one of the top earners of 1970.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/jeevan-mrityu-1970/article6400941.ece|title=Jeevan Mrityu (1970)|work=[[The Hindu]]|author=Vijay Lokpally|date=11 September 2014|access-date=29 May 2024|archive-date=10 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410215127/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/jeevan-mrityu-1970/article6400941.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> His next two films, [[Bhappi Sonie]]'s ''[[Tum Haseen Main Jawan]]'' and [[Asit Sen (director)|Asit Sen]]'s ''[[Sharafat]]'', both opposite Malini proved to be superhits at the box office.<ref name="auto1"/> This was followed by a flop in ''[[Ishq Par Zor Nahin]]'' alongside [[Sadhana Shivdasani|Sadhana]] and a hit in ''[[Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?]]'' with [[Babita]].<ref name="auto1"/> His final release of that year was [[Raj Kapoor]]'s magnum opus ''[[Mera Naam Joker]]'' (in which he played a supporting role). Although the film was a disaster at the time of release, it attained cult status in later years, with many critics hailing it as one of the best Indian films of all time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/j0uwEr1EQbbKoB83ASpASK/Ten-bigbudget-Bollywood-boxoffice-disasters.html|title=Ten big-budget Bollywood box-office disasters|first=Lata|last=Jha|date=28 September 2015|website=[[Live Mint]]|access-date=30 May 2020|archive-date=27 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127003908/https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/j0uwEr1EQbbKoB83ASpASK/Ten-bigbudget-Bollywood-boxoffice-disasters.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/photo-features/cult-hindi-films-that-flopped/photostory/27856115.cms|title=Cult Hindi films that flopped|website=The Times of India|archive-date=18 January 2024|access-date=18 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118105510/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/photo-features/cult-hindi-films-that-flopped/photostory/27856115.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1971, Dharmendra starred in [[Raj Khosla]]'s [[Action film|action drama]] ''[[Mera Gaon Mera Desh]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mera-gaon-mera-desh|title=Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=16 March 2024|archive-date=16 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316211112/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mera-gaon-mera-desh|url-status=live}}</ref> The film went on to become an ''All Time Blockbuster'' and established his image of an action hero.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7382|title=An Action Hero Is Very Dull - Drishyam 2 Is One Horse Race|date=2 December 2022}}</ref> The large success of this film also made the industry shift from romantic to action films.<ref name="Rewinds"/> Dharmendra received his second nomination in the [[Filmfare Award for Best Actor]] category for his performance in ''Mera Gaon Mera Desh''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://indiancine.ma/documents/QFY/3 |title=Starlights of the next issue |date=24 March 1972 |magazine=[[Filmfare]] |last=Karanjia |first=B. K. |author-link=B. K. Karanjia |volume=21 |page=7 |issue=6 |access-date=2 June 2021 |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214109/https://indiancine.ma/documents/QFY/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> His success continued in the following year with another massive blockbuster in ''[[Seeta Aur Geeta]]'', a superhit in ''[[Raja Jani]]'' and a hit film, ''[[Samadhi (1972 film)|Samadhi]]'' to go with the major grossers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=6097|date=8 November 2020|title=Rewind - Thirty Five Years of Mard|access-date=27 February 2024|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093055/https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=6097|url-status=live}}</ref> The mass hysteria created by ''Mera Gaon Mera Desh'' in 1971, followed by back-to-back hits with ''Seeta Aur Geeta'', ''Raja Jani'' and ''Samadhi'' in 1972 took Dharmendra to the number 1 position among his contemporaries, thus making him a "superstar".<ref>{{citation|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2882|title=Vinod Khanna Passes Away|publisher=[[Box Office India]]|date=27 April 2017|access-date=12 August 2024|archive-date=8 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008201610/https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2882|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Top Actors" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7555|title=Pathaan And The SUPERSTARS Of Indian Cinema|date=8 February 2023|access-date=29 July 2024|archive-date=29 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240729094616/https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7555|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 April 2013 |title=100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-19.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425234438/http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-19.html |archive-date=25 April 2013 |access-date=12 February 2014 |website=[[IBN Live]]}}</ref>

1973 was the best year of Dharmendra's career with many successes.<ref name="Rewinds"/> His first release, which was [[A. Bhimsingh]]'s [[Crime film|action crime]] film ''[[Loafer (1973 film)|Loafer]],'' emerged a superhit with its songs, including "Aaj Mausam Bada Be-Imaan", "Main Tere Ishq Mein", "Koi Shehri Babu" becoming immensely popular among the masses and making its soundtrack one of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the 1970s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sebastian |first=Pradeep |date=16 August 2002 |title=Masala vs. genre |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/08/16/stories/2002081600920300.htm |work=The Hindu |access-date=29 October 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030704153626/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/08/16/stories/2002081600920300.htm |archive-date=4 July 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/special/ninty-unforgettable-asha-bhosle-songs/20180908.htm|title=90 UNFORGETTABLE Asha Bhosle Songs|date=8 September 2023|access-date=16 March 2024|archive-date=16 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316211113/https://m.rediff.com/movies/special/ninty-unforgettable-asha-bhosle-songs/20180908.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> This was followed by [[Mystery film|mystery thriller]] ''[[Jheel Ke Us Paar]]'' and [[Action Film|action drama]] ''[[Jugnu (1973 film)|Jugnu]]''. While ''Jheel Ke Us Paar'' was a hit, the latter proved to be a blockbuster in India as well as Soviet Union, eventually taking 2nd spot at the box office in 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7561|title=Worldwide Gross - The Russian And Chinese Factor|date=11 February 2023}}</ref> Owing to its huge success, ''Jugnu'' was also remade in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] as ''[[Guru (1980 film)|Guru]]'' (1980).<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=12 August 2015|title=Sridevi: 5 times the actress bowled us with her performance|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/photo-features/sridevi-5-times-the-actress-bowled-us-with-her-performance/etphotostory/48450778.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424051532/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/photo-features/sridevi-5-times-the-actress-bowled-us-with-her-performance/etphotostory/48450778.cms|archive-date=24 April 2024|access-date=14 December 2020|website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> His next two releases were - [[Ravikant Nagaich]]'s spy thriller ''[[Keemat (1973 film)|Keemat]]'' and [[Adurthi Subba Rao]]'s light-hearted drama film ''[[Jwaar Bhata]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 September 2016 |title=Keemat (1973) |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/Keemat-1973/article14993419.ece |access-date=22 March 2022 |archive-date=28 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228034808/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/Keemat-1973/article14993419.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nadadhur |first1=Srivathsan |title=Daagudu Moothalu: The 'hidden' treasures unveiled |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/daagudu-moothalu-the-hidden-treasures-unveiled/article7561719.ece |access-date=8 September 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=20 August 2015 |archive-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206140748/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/daagudu-moothalu-the-hidden-treasures-unveiled/article7561719.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> Both the films received critical acclaim and emerged moderately successful.<ref name="Rewinds"/> Towards the end of the year, Dharmendra appeared in ''[[Yaadon Ki Baaraat]]'', ''[[Blackmail (1973 film)|Blackmail]]'' and ''[[Kahani Kismat Ki]]''. ''Yaadon Ki Baaraat'', directed by [[Nasir Hussain]] and written by [[Salim-Javed]] is widely identified as the first [[masala film]] of [[Indian cinema]] and proved to be another blockbuster for the actor as well as the second best-selling [[Hindi film music|Bollywood]] album of the 1970s.<ref>{{cite news|date=30 March 2017|title=How film-maker Nasir Husain started the trend for Bollywood masala films|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/how-film-maker-nasir-husain-created-the-prototype-for-bollywood-masala-films/story-ckL6zPLHJFDYoupjFBtbfN.html|access-date=20 October 2017|archive-date=5 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505013953/https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/how-film-maker-nasir-husain-created-the-prototype-for-bollywood-masala-films/story-ckL6zPLHJFDYoupjFBtbfN.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Rewinds"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Music Hits 1970-1979|url=http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=282&catName=MTk3MC0xOTc5|publisher=[[Box Office India]]|date=5 February 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205042855/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=282&catName=MTk3MC0xOTc5 | archive-date=5 February 2010 }}</ref> On the other hand, [[Vijay Anand (filmmaker)|Vijay Anand]]'s [[Romance film|romantic thriller]] ''Blackmail'' was an unsuccessful venture critically and commercially, but reception later improved, with many calling it one of Anand's most underrated works.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Black-Mail-1973/article15006250.ece|title=Black Mail (1973)|first=Anuj|last=Kumar|date=30 September 2016|access-date=17 November 2021|website=Thehindu.com|archive-date=17 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117130920/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Black-Mail-1973/article15006250.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The song "Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas" filmed on Dharmendra and Raakhee was a chartbuster and remains popular in modern culture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ndtv.in/bollywood/song-pal-pal-dil-ke-paas-from-film-blackmail-was-shot-without-recording-dharmendra-rakhee-movie-4523782|title=बिना रिकॉर्डिंग के कैसे शूट हुआ फिल्म ब्लैक मेल का सुपरहिट गाना 'पल पल दिल के पास तुम रहती हो', किस्सा है बेहद दिलचस्प|date=28 October 2023}}</ref> His final release of the year, Arjun Hingorani's actioner ''Kahani Kismat Ki'' continued his dream run and emerged a superhit at the box office.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/kahani-kismat-ki-1973/article8026032.ece|title=Kahani Kismat Ki (1973)|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 December 2015|archive-date=16 March 2024|access-date=16 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316211856/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/kahani-kismat-ki-1973/article8026032.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, Dharmendra added one more blockbuster in his kitty with [[Dulal Guha]]'s social drama ''[[Dost (1974 film)|Dost]]'' co-starring [[Shatrughan Sinha]] and Hema Malini.<ref name="boxofficeindia.com">{{Cite web |title=Rewind - Greatest Indian Film Sholay Is 43 Years Old |url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=4183|publisher=Box Office India}}</ref> The huge box office success of ''Dost'' was followed by moderate successes in ''[[Patthar Aur Payal]]'' and ''[[Resham Ki Dori]]''. For his performance in the latter, Dharmendra received his fourth and final nomination in the [[Filmfare Award for Best Actor]] category.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Filmfare Awards Winners From 1953 to 2024 |url=https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards/winners |magazine=Filmfare |access-date=25 April 2024 |archive-date=4 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204095338/https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards/winners |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[The Emergency (India)|The 1975 Emergency]] had angered the public, and this helped films featuring the lead character revolting against corruption and establishment become successes. The shift from romantic and social movies to action-oriented multi-starrers changed the box office. The year saw the rise of another superstar, [[Amitabh Bachchan]], but Dharmendra remained rock-steady and continued to deliver huge hits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/indepth-stories/dharmendra-bollywoods-dreamboat|title=Dharmendra, Hollywood's Dreamboat|date=8 December 2022|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=26 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126143630/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/indepth-stories/dharmendra-bollywoods-dreamboat|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1975, Dharmendra appeared alongside Bachchan in two films. The first was Mukherjee's light-hearted comedy ''[[Chupke Chupke (film)|Chupke Chupke]]''.<ref name="GulzarNihalani2003">{{cite book|author1=Gulzar|author2=Govind Nihalani|author3=Saibal Chatterjee|title=Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8y8vN9A14nkC&pg=PT371|access-date=29 October 2012|year=2003|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7991-066-5|pages=371–}}</ref> It received positive response from critics and went on to become a hit at the box office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/hrishikesh-mukherjee-chupke-chupke-subtle-antidote-to-angry-young-man-era-7915586/|title=Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Chupke Chupke was the subtle antidote to the 'angry young man' era; a balance we have forgotten today|date=14 May 2022}}</ref> The second was [[Ramesh Sippy]]'s actioner ''[[Sholay]]''.{{sfn|Chopra|2000|pp=22–28}} It released on 15 August 1975, [[Independence Day (India)|Indian Independence Day]], in Bombay. Due to lackluster reviews and a lack of effective visual marketing tools, it saw poor financial returns in its first two weeks. However, from the third week onward, viewership picked up owing to positive [[word of mouth]].{{sfn|Chopra|2000|p=169}} During the initial slow period, the director and writer considered re-shooting some scenes so that Amitabh Bachchan's character would not die. When business picked up, they abandoned this idea.{{sfn|Chopra|2000|p=164}} After additionally releasing a soundtrack containing dialogue snippets,{{sfn|Banerjea|2005|pp=177–179}} ''Sholay'' soon became an "overnight sensation".<ref name="ndtv">{{Cite web |date=14 August 2010 |title=35 years on, the Sholay fire still burns |url=http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/35-years-on-the-sholay-fire-still-burns-44425 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612074406/http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/35-years-on-the-sholay-fire-still-burns-44425 |archive-date=12 June 2013 |access-date=12 April 2013 |publisher=[[NDTV]]}}</ref> The film was then released in other distribution zones such as Delhi, [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[West Bengal|Bengal]], and [[Hyderabad district, India|Hyderabad]] on 11 October 1975.{{sfn|Chopra|2000|p=173}} It became the highest-grossing Hindi-language film of 1975, and film ranking website [[Box Office India]] has given the film a verdict of ''All Time Blockbuster''.<ref name="boxofficeindia.com"/> ''Sholay'' went on to earn a still-standing record of 60 golden jubilees{{efn|A golden jubilee means that a film has completed 50 consecutive weeks of showing in a single theatre.}} across India,<ref name="ndtv" /> and was the first film in India to celebrate a silver jubilee{{efn|A silver jubilee means that a film has completed 25 consecutive weeks of showing in a single theatre.}} at over 100 theatres.<ref name="ndtv" /> It was shown continuously at Bombay's Minerva Theatre for over five years and in Kolkata's [[Jyoti Cinema (Kolkata)|Jyoti Cinema]] for almost two years.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Kelly|title=Scan This Book!|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/14/magazine/14publishing.html|work=[[New York Times Magazine]]|date=14 May 2006|access-date=7 March 2008|archive-date=10 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210150624/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/14/magazine/14publishing.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=6042|title=All Time Longest Runners In Kolkata: Sholay 2nd - HAHK 4th|access-date=15 February 2024|archive-date=15 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215180207/https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=6042|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Sholay'' was the Indian film with the longest theatrical run until ''[[Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge]]'' (1995) broke its record of 286 weeks in 2001.{{sfn|Elliott|Payne|Ploesch|2007 |p=54}}<ref name="telegraph">{{Cite news |date=3 February 2013 |title=900 not out! |work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1130203/jsp/7days/story_16515999.jsp |url-status=dead |access-date=11 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304225327/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130203/jsp/7days/story_16515999.jsp |archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra in 2016.jpg|thumb|Dharmendra and [[Amitabh Bachchan|Bachchan]] starrer ''Sholay'' (1975) recorded an estimated {{INR}}15-18 crore footfalls, making it the highest grossing Indian film in terms of audience attendance to date.]]

Before the end of year, he delivered another blockbuster in ''[[Pratigya (1975 film)|Pratiggya]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/zakhmee-1975/article5809755.ece|title=Zakhmee (1975)|last=Malhotra|first=Aps|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 March 2014|via=www.thehindu.com|archive-date=24 October 2023|access-date=21 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024134010/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/zakhmee-1975/article5809755.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The film along with its strong action scenes also had a significant comic track in the form of "[[slapstick]]" comedy which led to it being referred as a "masterpiece in comedy".<ref name="Raj2009">{{cite book|author=Ashok Raj|title=Hero Vol.2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2wo9BAAAQBAJ&pg=PT80|access-date=18 September 2014|date=1 November 2009|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=978-93-81398-03-6|pages=80–}}</ref><ref name="IndiaPerspectives">{{cite book|title=India Perspectives|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UuhtAAAAMAAJ|access-date=18 September 2014|year=2005|publisher=PTI for the Ministry of External Affairs}}</ref> In 1976, Dharmendra reunited with Ramanand Sagar for the action thriller ''[[Charas (1976 film)|Charas]]''. Set against the backdrop of the [[Expulsion of Asians from Uganda|expulsion of Indian community from Uganda]] by its dictator [[Idi Amin]] in 1972, it opened to bumper response all over the nation and emerged a superhit at the box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hindi.news18.com/photogallery/entertainment/bollywood-dharmendra-hema-malini-second-blockbuster-baghavat-film-was-made-on-the-lines-of-superhit-charas-ramanand-sagar-was-earned-shockingly-a-lot-of-money-by-3-films-7999673.html|title=सुपरहिट 'चरस' के तर्ज पर बनी, धर्मेंद्र-हेमा मालिनी की दूसरी फिल्म, लगातार 3 हिट से रामानंद सागर ने कूटे खूब पैसे|date=25 January 2024}}</ref> His other release of the year, [[M. A. Thirumugam]]'s [[Family film|family drama]] film ''[[Maa (1976 film)|Maa]]'' was thrashed by critics, but still went on to become a success.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |title-link=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-14-342111-5 |location=Delhi |pages=98 |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |orig-date=2012}}</ref> The year 1977 proved to be a big one for Dharmendra with a mega blockbuster in [[Manmohan Desai]]'s [[Action Film|action drama]] ''[[Dharam Veer (film)|Dharam Veer]]'', a superhit in another of Desai's [[Masala film|masala]] film ''[[Chacha Bhatija]]'', followed by two more successful films in Arjun Hingorani's [[Thriller (genre)|mystery thriller]] ''[[Khel Khilari Ka]]'' and Pramod Chakravorty's action comedy ''[[Dream Girl (1977 film)|Dream Girl]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7993|title=Top Ten All Time Bihar - Gadar 2 Smashes All RECORDS|date=6 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bobbytalkscinema.com/recentpost/flashback-1977-trade-informa-2531|title=Flashback 1977 - Trade Guide Classification|date=8 August 2024|access-date=16 August 2024|archive-date=14 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814072717/https://www.bobbytalkscinema.com/recentpost/flashback-1977-trade-informa-2531|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, ''Dharam Veer'' had 23 shows in 5 cities. Driven by the success of Rafi's songs, the film took a record initial of £50,000 in the UK, equivalent to {{INRConvert|{{#expr:50000*(1000/{{To USD|1000|IND|year=1977}}) round -1}}|year=1977|mode=historical}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=United Kingdom Evolution - £100k To £4 Million Of Pathaan |url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7602 |access-date=2 March 2023 |work=[[Box Office India]] |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302113326/https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7602 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, the film sold 32 million tickets in the Soviet Union.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dharam Veer |url=https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/97001/ |access-date=15 August 2023 |website=[[KinoPoisk]] |language=ru}}</ref>