It was his ability to touch hearts that endeared ‘Garam-Dharam’ to millions as he enchanted theatre-going film audiences in its golden era with his felicitous moves through varied performances as an action hero with rugged good looks, an empathetic lover capable of a grand romance or a comic with a great sense of timing in delivering witticisms
There are many reasons for a sentimental India being driven to such an indefinable sadness on the departure of an iconic actor. Amitabh Bachchan, in a moving tribute to his fellow star who played Veeru to his Jai in Sholay, the all-time cult classic of Hindi cinema, ascribes it not only to Dharmendra’s renowned physical presence but to the largeness of his heart.
It was his ability to touch hearts that endeared ‘Garam-Dharam’ to millions as he enchanted theatre-going film audiences in its golden era with his felicitous moves through varied performances as an action hero with rugged good looks, an empathetic lover capable of a grand romance or a comic with a great sense of timing in delivering witticisms.
He played the perfect foil as Veeru to Jai in a great bromance, but it is a little-known fact that Dharmendra had recommended Bachchan’s acting abilities and his voice to the filmmaker. A loveable aspect of his personality was said to be his being in a comfort zone as a cinema star who was never jealous of stars around him going to become superstars. The number of films with double male billing in which he starred is a testament to his sporting and professional approach to acting, ideally devoid of jealousies.
His life’s calling was to be in front of the camera as a director’s actor and hence his universal rating as an all-rounder who remained happy just to be in films, many of which kept the box office busy as delivered a record number of blockbusters in over 300 films. Dharmendra’s dedicated adherence to his calling was such that his career spanned 65 years even as a film of his is to get a posthumous release next month.
Declared the heartthrob of the nation, he was nonchalant to the extent of marrying a second time in marriage to his co-star Hema Malini, currently an MP, and managing to give his time generously to the two branches of family, which spawned many a filmstar. To find happiness in any film and any setting was a gift that he enjoyed till the end came when he may even have read his obituary as restless media declared his death days before he breathed his last in one of his homes in Mumbai.
