Bollywood legend Dharmendra passed away on November 24 leaving a huge void in the Indian film industry, he is still remembered for his versatile roles. From playing a Roman fighter to being Sholay’s hopelessly romantic thief, Dharmendra was an entire era in Bollywood. Sharing the screen with legendary actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini, he is survived by his sons Bobby and Sunny Deol.
Reminiscing about this heartfelt era in Bollywood, weeks later, Jeetendra opened up about his memories with Dharmendra, even before he himself entered the industry. Now 83, Jeetendra shared in a teaser of an upcoming episode of India Idol of a day he spent as a Dharmendra fan, and what made him a forever one.
‘That’s how sweet he was’
Recalling from his initial years in Mumbai, he shared, “I wasn’t in films back then. I was at Churchgate with my friends. It was around the time Dharmendra’s first film, Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, had released. This was in 1960, about 65 years ago. We spotted Dharmendra and started shouting, ‘Aye, Dharmendra!’ Eventually, he walked up to us and said, ‘Hanji, aapne mujhe yaad kiya?’ That’s how sweet he was.”
It was only later that Jeetendra joined the industry. He shared several unknown facts about Dharmendra’s friendship with his co-stars and the humble bond he shared with them.
Dharmendra’s bond with Manoj Kumar
Bollywood icon Manoj Kumar also passed away earlier this year in April due to chronic heart-related complications. Breathing his last at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, he was given a state funeral by the Government.
Jeetendra, remembering both the legends of Bollywood, revealed, “Dharmendra was a great friend of Manoj Kumar—one came from Delhi and the other from Punjab. I have heard they even shared a room during their initial days. Their bond was such that if one had a screen test, they would share each other’s clothes. Many times, people would notice their similar shirts during rehearsals.”
A moment in history, their friendship stood the test of time as Manoj Kumar and Dharmendra shared a close bond, till their old age.