Even when it does not ravage, time can be cruel. It would be easy, for example, for a superstar of yesteryear to look back at the images and headlines that described him as the “most handsome” and fall into sepia-tinted despondency. For most people in their late 80s, the past is the only country that will give them full citizenship. Not so for Dharmendra. In his twilight, there is a sense of freshness.
In 2023, an on-screen kiss is not a big deal. In fact, there is many a passionate smooch between the two protagonists in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani. But the kiss that has people talking is between Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi. The character, like the actor, has seen the ups and downs of life and a lost love found before the end may not be passionate, but its poignancy makes it all the more precious. When asked about the attention and discussion around the kiss, Dharmendra simply said, “There is no age for romance”.
Dharmendra’s career has seen critical and commercial success . And now, in the age of social media, he is open and disarming. His social media feed does not have the glossy, curated, self-serving “content” that other celebrities put out. The Dharmendra on display is not “Garam Dharam” — the loud He-Man-like action star from films like Dharam Veer. He is more akin to the witty romantic from Chupke Chupke, the sensitive lover in Anupama or the charismatic prison doctor in Bandini — Naram Dharam, if you will. Dharmendra gave some of his best performances as part of an ensemble, often in women-centric films. Now, at 87, he is unlikely to be an action star. But with a stolen kiss, he can still steal the show.
