Dharmendra, one of the greatest and most popular veteran actors, has been acting in films for more than six decades. He’s given maximum hits as the leading man which is some sort of a record. The biggest names and hits include movies like Sholay, Pratigya, Dharam Veer, Hukumat, and Tahalka.
The actor also stepped into offbeat films, and during this time, he approached Katha and Chasme Buddoor director Sai Paranjpye, to collaborate on a new film.
Sai’s creations were more realistic in nature and yet, they appealed to the audience at a time when most blockbusters were larger than life.
In a recent chat with the YouTube channel The Culture Cafe by AMV, Sai shared her experience on working with Dharmendra, spilling tea about him quitting a movie opposite Shabana Azmi.
Director Sai on working with Dharmendra
Instagram/aapkadharam
Veteran filmmaker Sai Paranjpye recently spilled the beans in a latest interview and recalled the time when Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi were doing her film and why that film got stalled later.
She recalled how Dharmendra approached her to make a film together, only to lose interest in the project midway.
She also shared that the film was never completed. “One attempt at making a very commercial film, and let me talk about it because this film never got completed unfortunately. It was to be made with Dharmendra and he is such a lovely person, a delightful fellow and when he came to me, he said ‘I’d love to make a film with you’.”
The filmmaker added, “I had some concept and I told him about it. When I wrote the script, I had Dharmendra in my mind.” The actress opposite him was Shabana Azmi.
What happened next?
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The ride started smoothly but got bumpy on the way. “Dharmendra loved it and we started. And then somewhere along the way, I think he realised that I am not a commercial filmmaker,” she said and recalled an incident after which things took a turn.
“I distinctly remember a scene where Shabana and him are face to face and he tells her something and she charges him and he has his back to the camera,” she shared. Dharmendra was asked to move uncomfortably and make certain gestures with his hand, so as to convey that he is lying.
When Sai announced that the scene was over, Dharmendraasked for his close-ups. “He said ‘but you haven’t done my close-up. I said ‘it’s not needed. We don’t require a close up because your back has said it all’. I think it made him suspicious. He thought I was favouring the heroine. I don’t know what he thought. That day onwards, he would point things out like how certain things should be done. And then gradually, the whole tempo sort of slacked. I came to the realisation that he is not all that enthusiastic about it. The film came to a halt,” she shared.
Sai Paranjpye on Dharmendra’s lost interest
Instagram/azmishabana18
Sai said that everyone was quite disappointed that the film was not happening anymore as Sai and Dharmendra’s combination was something to look forward to. She praised him anyway and said, “He was a gentleman throughout. He did not even say half a word against me in the press and I obviously reciprocated.”
Dharmendra recently worked with Shabana Azmi in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
Social and lead image credits: Instagram/azmishabana18
