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The death of veteran star Dharmendra has left a deep void in the film industry. From Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan to Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, several stars from the Hindi film fraternity arrived at his last rites to bid their final goodbye. While many in the industry were close to Dharam ji, his bond with Amitabh Bachchan — his Jai from Sholay — extended far beyond the big screen. After his death, Amitabh penned an emotional tribute to Dharmendra, remembering his “largeness of heart” and his “simplicity.”
He wrote on his blog, “Another valiant Giant has left us, left the arena, leaving behind a silence with an unbearable sound.” Lauding Dharmendra for always staying rooted, Amitabh added, “Dharam ji, the epitome of greatness, ever linked not only for his renowned physical presence, but for the largeness of his heart, and its most endearing simplicity. He brought with him the earthiness of the village in Punjab he came from, and remained true to its temperament, unsoiled throughout his glorious career, in a fraternity that witnessed changes every decade. The fraternity underwent changes, not him. His smile, his charm and his warmth, extending to all that came in his vicinity, a rarity in the profession.”
He ended the note writing, “The air about us swings vacant, a vacuum that shall ever remain vacuus.”
Amitabh and Dharmendra starred together in several films. They first appeared together in the 1974 film Dost. They instantly became a hit onscreen jodi with iconic films like Chupke Chupke and Sholay in 1975. They later collaborated on Naseeb, Ram Balram, Hum Kaun Hain, among others.
Apart from Big B, his wife Jaya Bachchan also shared a fond bond with Dharmendra. Back in 2007, during an episode of Koffee With Karan, Jaya spoke about her first meeting with the actor and how his striking looks made her so shy that she hid behind a sofa.
“I loved Dharmendra… You know when I saw him for the first time and I was introduced to him, there was a sofa like this. I went and hid behind it. I was so nervous! I didn’t know what to do.” She added, “There was this fantastic-looking man. I still remember what he was wearing – white trousers and a white shirt and he looked like a Greek God.” She even joked, “I should have played Basanti! Because I loved Dharmendra.”
For the unversed, Jaya first worked with Dharam ji in the film Guddi, which marked Jaya’s acting debut. She played a schoolgirl who idolised Dharmendra, who appeared as himself in the film. They later worked together in Sholay and recently reunited in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
Years later, on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), when Aamir Khan appeared as a guest and asked Amitabh if he was ever jealous of Dharmendra or any other co-actor Jaya admired, Big B laughed and said, “Ahh.. never felt bothered. On the very first day, she said that Dharmendra is my favourite. She said that ‘there is no man more handsome than him in our industry’.”
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