Bollywood actor Sunny Deol on Sunday met with step-sisters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol at the screening of his film ‘Border 2’ in Mumbai.
The Centre on Sunday announced the recipients of the prestigious Padma Awards 2026, with Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24, 2025, named as the honoree for the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour.
Sharing a set of photos from the event, Esha Deol took to Instagram to post, “Happy Republic Day. Really happy that our papa is being conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan Award and Border 2 अपने परिवार और दोस्तो के साथ ज़रूर देखिए We watched the film last night @iamsunnydeol you are the best Shout out to @ahan.shetty @varundvn @diljitdosanjh @nidhiduttaofficial fantastic. Salute.”
Here are some of the pictures of Esha Deol and Sunny Deol:
Born Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol on December 8, 1935, in Nasrali village of Punjab’s Ludhiana district, he was the son of Kewal Kishan Singh Deol, a school headmaster.
Drawn by his deep love for cinema, Dharmendra moved to Mumbai and made his film debut with the 1960 romantic drama ‘Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere’, directed by Arjun Hingorani. Although the film failed commercially, it marked the beginning of his journey in the world he had long aspired to be part of.
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He got his first commercial success in 1961 with Ramesh Saigal’s ‘Shola Aur Shabnam’, following it up with notable hits such as Mohan Kumar’s Anpadh (1962) and Bimal Roy’s Bandini (1963), the latter winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. In 1965, Dharmendra delivered another major success with Ram Maheshwari’s Kaajal, co-starring Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar and Padmini.
His romantic hero image in the 1960s and early 1970s was defined by his striking looks, charming smile and expressive eyes, which resonated deeply with audiences. Films such as ‘Aayee Milan Ki Bela’, ‘Ankhen’, ‘Neela Aakash’, ‘Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke’, ‘Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya’, ‘Mohabbat Zindagi Hai’, ‘Pyar Hi Pyar’ and ‘Mamta’ showcased his ability to portray emotional depth, longing and tenderness with effortless ease.
In 2023, he surprised everyone with his stellar performance in Karan Johar’s directorial Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. With his role, he literally proved that age is just a number. A much-discussed highlight from the film was his kiss with co-star Shabana Azmi, a moment that many hailed as a tender, progressive portrayal of love in later years, and one that took audiences pleasantly by surprise.
He was also seen in Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon’s romantic comedy ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’, which reminded a new generation of his effortless charm. His last film Ikkis was released on January 1, 2026, days after his demise.
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On the other hand, Sunny Deol’s film Border 2, released in theatres on January 23, is inspired by the true events of the 1971 India-Pakistan War and showcases how the Army, Navy, and Air Force fight together as one force. It brings Sunny Deol back in uniform once again.
Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 also stars Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh in key roles. It is produced by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series in association with JP Dutta’s JP Films.
IT’S A TSUNAMI – ‘BORDER 2’ RUNS RIOT AT THE BOXOFFICE… Last month, #Dhurandhar and now, #Border2 has brought joy, hope, confidence and optimism back in #Bollywood… The Sunday numbers are nothing short of SENSATIONAL.
Urban centres are performing exceptionally well, but it’s… pic.twitter.com/Ly0O3PpSk4
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) January 26, 2026
The film has recorded one of the biggest openings in recent times. While Border 2 opened at a collection of Rs 32.10 cr, it made Rs 40.59 cr on Saturday, and on Sunday, the film made a collection of Rs 57.20 cr, taking the total to Rs 129.89 cr at India net. These numbers were shared by the makers and also trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
The film stars Sunny Deol in the leading role, alongside an ensemble cast consisting of Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. The film also features Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, and Medha Rana in pivotal roles.
With inputs from ANI
