Mumbai, Nov 25 ( LatestNewsX ) – Director Rahul Rawail, who had been attending the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, spoke about the recently deceased actor Dharmendra, who died on Monday.
At the festival, Rawail organized a special tribute ceremony for the late actor. Following the event, he told LatestNewsX, “I am blessed that I knew him, and that somebody’s hand was on me. I couldn’t meet him because I did not want to disturb him at that time. It was a time when the family got to be close to him”.
He added, “So it may not be right. I could sit here all night and talk to you about it. I met Dharamji about 8 months back. I had gone to his farm just to say, ‘Hello’ to him. That’s it. And very hospitable. So I have some great memories. At the moment also, I don’t know how I am going to react to this. Because he was very, very close”.
Dharmendra was one of Bollywood’s longest‑running and most cherished icons. Born in 1935 in Punjab, he launched his career in the early 1960s after winning a nationwide talent search organized by Filmfare magazine in partnership with Bimal Roy Productions. He was chosen in 1958 for his striking looks and natural charm, a victory that paved the way to the film industry. That same talent hunt would later discover Rajesh Khanna, another titan of Hindi cinema.
He quickly became a household name thanks to his blend of charm, emotional depth and effortless screen presence. Dharmendra excelled across genres—romance, action and comedy. Classic titles like Phool Aur Patthar, which cemented his status as a leading man, and Sholay, where he played the memorable, witty Veeru, remain enduring parts of his legacy.
The veteran actor was the recipient of the Padma Bhushan, India’s third‑highest civilian honour.
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