Dharmendra is considered to be the most handsome actor in the history of Indian cinema. Once seeing Dharmendra, Dev Anand said why I don't have such a face? Seeing his health and the glow on his face, Dilip Kumar also once said that he wanted a personality like Dharmendra in his next life. Even at this stage of age, Dharmendra is keeping himself fit. They believe that age is just a number. He wanted to do a romantic film with Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit.
Born on December 8, 1935 in Sahnewal village of Ludhiana district of Punjab, Dharmendra has turned 89 today. On his birthday, Frontpage Insights spoke to producer-directors KC Bocadia and Ashok Tyagi who had worked with him.
Got inspiration from Dilip Kumar to enter films Dharmendra has revealed many times that he was inspired to enter films by watching Dilip Kumar's films. When Dharmendra was in the 10th standard, he saw Dilip Kumar's film 'Shaheed' for the first time. After this he fell in love with Dilip Kumar's acting skills.
Looking in the mirror and asking the question, can I be Dilip Kumar? Dharmendra always considered Dilip Kumar as his god, brother and role model. Dilip often shares loving messages about Kumar on social media. Sharing a video on Instagram, Dharmendra said, 'I was working and coming on a bicycle. Wherever the posters of the film were displayed, I would see myself in them, stay up all night and have strange dreams. After waking up in the morning, I used to ask the mirror, can I be Dilip Kumar?
When Dilip Kumar presented the lifetime achievement award to Dharmendra, he was very emotional.
Dilip Kumar was also a fan of Dharmendra's personality. Dharmendra was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 42nd Filmfare Awards Show in 1997. Dilip Kumar himself gave this award to Dharmendra. Dilip Kumar was also impressed by Dharmendra's personality. He said during the award show – When I saw Dharma for the first time, my heart was excited, what if Allah had made me like this?
Even Dev Anand wanted to look like Dharmendra When Dev Ananda saw Dharmendra for the first time, he said, O Lord, why did you not give me this face. Director Ashok Tyagi revealed this during a conversation with Frontpage Insights. Tyagi said- When I was making 'Return of Jewel Thief', I also cast Dharamji in this film. However, the title of the film was taken from Dev Anandji's film 'Jewel Thief', so I cast Dev Saheb in the lead role.
Dharamji knew that Dev Saheb's character was stronger than him, yet he made the film. Dharamji helped a lot in making this film. When Dev Saheb was approached for the film, Dev Saheb shared the story of his first meeting with Dharamji.
Dev Anand's eyes were on Dharmendra who was standing far away in the crowd. Ashok Tyagi said – When Dharamji came to participate in the Mumbai Film Fair Contest, all the contestants were taken to show the shooting. At that time, the shooting of Dev Sahib's film was going on.
Dev Sahib said that seeing Dharmendra standing far away in the crowd, he said, Oh God, why didn't you give me this face. Not only this, Dev Saheb was so impressed by Dharmendra's personality that he called him and even shared lunch with him. Dharamji told me that he had seen an English type lunch box for the first time.
During the shooting, there was a fierce competition between Dev Saheb and Dharmendra. Incidentally Dev Anand's real name is Dharam Dev Anand. Dharamji had great respect for Dev Sahib. Dev Anand and Dharamji had a very secret relationship, but there was also competition during the shoot. Dharamji had become a big star at that time. His every dialogue is on people's lips. Dev Sahib has also had his own special place.
How can a director who cannot tell a story properly make a film? Before 'Return of Jewel Thief' I started 'Mera Iman' with Dharamji. Smita Patil was opposite him in this film. After 10 reels, the film could not be made due to Smita's demise. Before signing Dharamji for this film, I read an interview with him in a magazine, in which he said that how can a director make a film who cannot tell the story properly?
After reading that interview, I rehearsed for 10 days. The story is completely remembered. When I narrated the story to Dharamji, he patted me on the back and blessed me. Today I can say with complete confidence that I can narrate the story of a film to any big actor.
A rural man is still alive within him Even after achieving such great success, a villager is still alive within Dharamji. That's why he enjoys living in Lonavala Farm House even more. Even today he is a down to earth star, a quality I have seen in very few people. They always take care of those with whom they have good relations.
He used to sleep on the bench after eating gram, he did not get such a chance Dharmendra had to struggle a lot to get into films. According to reports, Dharmendra did not learn acting from anywhere. Dharmendra won the talent hunt competition organized by Filmfare beating many talented others. Dharmendra came to Mumbai after winning a talent hunt, but the path to films was not easy. He would walk miles to visit the filmmakers' offices so he could save money and eat some of it. Many times they would sleep on the bench after eating gram and sometimes they would not even get gram.
The first film earned only 51 rupees Dharmendra got his first chance in films by director Arjun Hingorani in the film 'Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere'. Dharmendra got only 51 rupees for this film released in 1960. Even after this film Dharmendra took only meager money in all the films he did with Arjun Hingora. Dharmendra remained indebted to Hingora's family and never demanded money from them.
Dharmendra considers age just a number Dharmendra has appeared in 306 films so far. He has played roles ranging from action heroes to romantic and comic characters. Dharmendra believes that age is just a number. Producer-Director K.C. Bokadia said- Our coordination with Dharamji was so perfect that even when I approached him for shooting two days ago, he never talked about give and take. Still have a very good relationship with them. He used to say that in India an actor is considered old at the age of 60. A 60-65 year old actor does a love story in Hollywood.
Wanted to do a romantic film with Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit Dharamji told me – I am also going to do a love story film, in which Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit are cast. I will appear as a hero in that love story film. What's the love story I'd tell 25-year-old actors hanging around? Anyway, I have a lot of experience in love stories. I can't say anything now as to why that film didn't get made. Dharamji considers himself young. This is the secret of their good health.
Kamal Amrohi was upset with Dharmendra and Meena Kumari's closeness.
The director blackened Dharmendra's face Some people did not like Dharmendra's handsome looks. Meena's husband Kamal Amrohi was upset with Dharmendra and Meena Kumari's closeness. Although there came a time when Kamal and Meena were separated, they still had love, that's why they were so important to each other.
Meanwhile, Dharmendra too has moved on from Meena, but Kamal Amrohi has not forgotten the closeness between Dharmendra and Meena Kumari. When he made the film Razia Sultan with Dharmendra, he blackened Dharmendra's face in one scene. However, people associated with the film said that there was no need for this scene in the film. It is believed that Kamal Amrohi expressed his displeasure with Dharmendra over Meena Kumari.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
