He by no means modified regardless of stardom, says Sharmila Tagore

Dharmendra was simply completely different, a person who stayed linked to his roots and by no means let stardom change his angle in the direction of individuals until the very finish, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore stated on Monday (November 24, 2025), remembering her co-star of classics similar to Satyakam and Chupke Chupke.

Dharmendra died on Monday at the age of 89 after extended sickness.

Veteran actor Dharmendra passes away LIVE updates: Tributes pour in

Ms. Tagore has solely fond reminiscences of the person behind the star – an affable and cooperative human being who met everybody, whether or not wealthy or poor, with the identical heat.

“I didn’t discover any change in him until the tip. As an actor, after all, he was great to behave with, and in his angle in the direction of the group or individuals on the set, he was the identical affable, cooperative individual. He would meet with individuals, whether or not wealthy or poor, with equal heat. I’ve seen him hugging a person on the streets with none hesitation.

“He was simply completely different. He by no means forgot his roots and he would discuss it overtly. He was, as they are saying, a person of the earth and he remained very near his actual self… I didn’t see any change in him with stardom and recognition,” she instructed PTI.

Dharmendra and Ms. Tagore labored on plenty of films in Hindi cinema however their pairing in filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s movies stand out even at present.

They collaborated on Anupama and Satyakam, each cited amongst their greatest movies. Their hottest movie with Mukherjee was the comedy drama Chupke Chupke, during which Dharmendra performed a botany professor who pretended to be a driver.

“For ‘Chupke Chupke’, he ought to have gotten the Nationwide Award. He was good. However I feel these days they thought comedy was not… solely a critical actor ought to obtain awards, one thing like that, perhaps.” Dharmendra additionally labored with Mukherjee on Majhli Didi with Meena Kumari, Guddi with Jaya Bachchan, and Chaitali with Saira Banu.

Ms. Tagore stated the director would typically tease Dharmendra for enjoying relatable characters in his films, opposite to the actor’s well-established “muscle man” picture in mainstream Bollywood films. “Hrishida would tease him. He would inform Dharamji, ‘Neglect that you’re Dharmendra, the muscle man. Right here you might be taking part in an excellent position’… He would make us chortle… All of us had been very relaxed on Hrishida’s set… I feel Dharam appreciated that ambiance the place he wasn’t handled specifically or something. And we did excellent movies collectively from Satyakam to Chupke Chupke and Anupama. They had been all excellent movies.”

Accommodative star

Ms. Tagore stated she nonetheless remembers how Dharmendra prolonged his taking pictures hours for her through the making of Mere Hamdam Mere Dost.

“I used to be doing double shift – I used to be taking pictures from 7 to 2 for one more movie, and from 2 to 10, I used to be working for Mere Hamdam Mere Dost. And we had been filming the track, ‘Chhalka ye jaam’. And until 10 o’clock, we couldn’t end the track. So the director requested me to come back the following day,” Ms.Tagore recalled.

The actor stated she already had allotted the following daymorning shift for one more movie the following day and within the night she needed to depart for Kolkata as her husband, cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, was taking part in a take a look at match.

“I had deliberate to do this different taking pictures until 2 o’clock after which catch the 4 o’clock flight or one thing like that to Kolkata… I requested Dharam if he might prolong and end the track. It was already 10 o’clock… He agreed and we completed the track. These had been mad days. “We shot the track until six within the morning… At any time when they (crew) had been lighting up for the shot, he would go and sleep or relaxation within the make-up room. We had been taking pictures at Kardar studio, which doesn’t exist now… He was so candy. I’ll endlessly do not forget that gesture. I can’t consider anyone else who would have performed that. They’d have stated, ‘Rinku (Tagore’s nickname), we love you very a lot, however we have to sleep.’ No person sane would have performed it, however Dharam did. He was completely different. I used to be endlessly grateful to him.”

The 2 actors additionally labored collectively in Yakeen, Ek Mahal Ho Sapano Ka, Devar, and Sunny.