When This Superstar Father-Son Duo Gave Back-To-Back Box Office Hits In The ‘80s

As Indian cinema enters 2026, the late legend Dharmendra reaches a personal milestone with the release of Ikkis, his final film. For fans and film historians alike, the moment has reopened a lesser-discussed chapter from the early 1980s – a rare period when Dharmendra and his son Sunny Deol arrived in theatres almost back to back.

The year was 1983. Father and son were not sharing screen space. They were sharing attention, box-office buzz and packed cinema halls. It remains one of the few instances in Hindi cinema where two generations from the same family dominated theatres at the same time.

Dharmendra stepped away from action with Naukar Biwi Ka

On July 22, 1983, Dharmendra released Naukar Biwi Ka, a comedy-drama directed by Rajkumar Kohli. Known

largely for action-heavy roles, Dharmendra surprised audiences with a lighter, domestic character. The film was loosely adapted from the Pakistani movie Naukar Wohti Da and featured Reena Roy, Raj Babbar and Anita Raj.

Music played a key role in the film’s popularity. Composed by Bappi Lahiri, the song Zamana To Hai Naukar Biwi Ka quickly became a fixture on radio and television, helping drive strong ticket sales.

One production anecdote became widely talked about later – a scene where Anita Raj had to slap Dharmendra. Initially hesitant, she went through with it after Dharmendra insisted on realism. The moment stunned everyone briefly before breaking into laughter once the shot ended.

Two weeks later, Sunny Deol made his mark with Betaab

Just fourteen days later, on August 5, 1983, Sunny Deol made his debut with Betaab. Directed by Rahul Rawail and written by Javed Akhtar, the romantic drama paired Sunny with newcomer Amrita Singh.

Dharmendra played an active role behind the scenes, personally casting Amrita Singh after meeting her in Delhi. Shot extensively in Kashmir, the film’s popularity was so enduring that a valley later came to be known informally as Betaab Valley.

The soundtrack by R. D. Burman, especially Jab Hum Jawan Honge, became a generational favourite. Betaab ended 1983 as the year’s second-highest-grossing film and positioned Sunny Deol as a major new star.

One family, two films, and packed theatres

For several weeks, Indian theatres carried a rare sight. Naukar Biwi Ka would run in one cinema hall, Betaab in another nearby. Audiences queued for both. Same surname on posters, but totally different stories.

As Dharmendra’s career closes a chapter in 2026, that 1983 overlap stands out – not as a competition, but as a rare alignment of timing, talent, and box-office power within one family.