Over the past years, the Indian film industry has witnessed supremely talented actors entertaining audiences with their acting prowess. Back in the ’70s, Bollywood boasted some celebrated Indian stars who not only took Indian cinema to international platforms but also became some of the most sought-after artists of all time. 

Today, we take a look at some of the celebrated Bollywood actors of the ’70s who contributed to the rich history of the Hindi film industry.

7 celebrated 70s Bollywood actors who won hearts:

1. Rajesh Khanna

Often named one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema, Rajesh Khanna was also the most successful Bollywood actor of the ’70s. His debut movie, Aakhri Khat (1966), became the country’s first official Academy Awards entry in 1967 and was among the best 70s Bollywood movies. Married to Dimple Kapadia, he was blessed with two daughters, Twinkle and Rinke Khanna. Considered one of the first superstars of Indian cinema, he was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Top 5 Movies of Rajesh Khanna are:

1.       Do Raaste

2.       Kati Patang

3.       Haathi Mere Saathi

4.       Bawarchi

5.       Mere Jeevan Saathi

2. Sharmila Tagore

Born in a family deeply rooted in culture and history, Sharmila Tagore made her acting debut at the mere age of 14. With Satyajit Ray’s Bengali epic drama, The World of Apu (1959), she earned critical acclaim. Over the years, she became one of the most prominent figures in Bengali cinema soon after which she took over Bollywood with Kashmir Ki Kali in 1964. The 1970s marked the most successful period of Tagore’s career.

Married to Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, the titular Nawab of Pataudi and Bhopal and former captain of the Indian cricket team, the National Award-winning actress has three children namely Saif Ali Khan, Saba Ali Khan, and Soha Ali Khan.

Top 5 Sharmila Tagore Movies are:

1.       Amar Prem

2.       Mausam

3.       Chupke Chupke

4.       Raja Rani

5.       Tyaag

3. Dilip Kumar

Dilip Kumar is credited as the pioneer of method acting in Indian cinema who took over several decades with his acting prowess. In his career spanning decades, the ‘Abhinay Samrat’ worked in close to 60 films, most of which were highly lauded by the audience.

While the Indian government awarded him with prestigious awards, the Government of Pakistan honored him with Nishan-e-Imtiaz, making him the only Indian to have received the accolade. He married actress Saira Banu, who is also one of the celebrated Bollywood actors of the 70s.

Top 5 Dilip Kumar Movies are:

1.       Gopi

2.       Ganga Jamuna

3.       Mughal-e-Azam

4.       Daag

5.       Devdas

4. Hema Malini

The 70s saw the rise of Hema Malini as the ‘Dream Girl’ of the Indian film industry. During this era, she established herself as one of the sought-after actresses in the industry who was later flooded with offers in multiple languages. The senior star also shared the screen with legendary actor Dharmendra in multiple films, who she later married in 1980. The celebrity couple have two children, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol Vohra.

Top 5 Movies of Hema Malini are:

1.       Andaz

2.       Lal Patthar

3.       Seeta Aur Geeta

4.       Baghban

5.       Sholay

5. Amitabh Bachchan

Needless to say, Amitabh Bachchan is the greatest, most accomplished, and commercially successful actor in the history of Indian cinema. Often regarded as the ‘mahanayak’, Big B was one of the celebrated Bollywood actors of the 70s who enjoys the love of millions of his fans, even today.

Fondly titled as ‘Shahenshah of Bollywood’, Senior Bachchan took over in 1970 and ruled it like no other actor. Married to Jaya Bachchan, they have two kids, Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan Nanda.

Top 5 Amitabh Bachchan Movies are:

1.       Zanjeer

2.       Don

3.       Deewaar

4.       Kabhi Kabhie

5.       Amar Akbar Anthony

6. Tanuja Mukherjee

By 1970, Tanuja Mukherjee established herself as an acclaimed actress who shared the screen with several biggies of B-town. While she is a celebrated Bollywood star, she is also one of the most decorated actors in Bengali cinema. Married to filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, Tanuja has two daughters, actresses Kajol and Tanisha.

Top 5 Tanuja Mukherjee Movies are:

1.       Haathi Mere Saathi

2.       Do Chor

3.       Mere Jeevan Saathi

4.       Ek Paheli

5.       Insaaf

7. Dharmendra

Dharmendra is yet another living legend who rose to superstardom in the 70s. His pairing with Hema Malini became a massive rage among cinema lovers, making his rule the number one position among his contemporaries.

Top 5 Dharmendra Movies are:

1.       Mera Gaon Mera Desh

2.       Raja Jani

3.       Samadhi

4.       Loafer

5.       Jheel Ke Us Paar

Some of the other Bollywood stars who earned critical acclaim for their performances in the ’70s include Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Feroz Khan, Jeetendra, Rishi Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha, Amjad Khan, Zeenat Aman, Jaya Bachchan, Jaya Prada, Rakhee Gulzar, Vyjayanthimala, Shabana Azmi, Neetu Singh, Reena Roy, Mumtaz, Rekha, and more. It wouldn’t be wrong to say they were the Bollywood actors of the ’70s who had decade-defining careers during this iconic era.

ALSO READ: 12 best 70s Bollywood movies that every movie buff loves