Panaji, Nov 25: The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) joined the nation in expressing profound grief over the passing of Bollywood superstar Dharmendra, who passed away on Monday.
Noted filmmaker Rahul Rawail delivered an emotional remembrance, reflecting on his cherished memories with one of the brightest stars of the silver screen.
He began by urging everyone to celebrate the extraordinary life of Dharmendra, acknowledging the immense sorrow his family must be enduring.
“He was an iconic actor and an exceptional human being,” Rawail said.
Recalling his days as an Assistant Director on Raj Kapoor’s Mera Naam Joker, Rawail shared how Late Dharmendra portrayed trapeze artist Mahendra Kumar with unmatched dedication.
He narrated how the actor would take an evening flight to Delhi every day for a month, shoot till 5 am and then return to Mumbai to continue filming Aadmi Aur Insaan—a grueling schedule he maintained unfailingly.
Rawail also reminisced about the shooting of Betaab (1983), which marked the debut of Late Shri Dharmendra’s son, Sunny Deol.
While filming in Kashmir, crowds would gather in large numbers just to catch a glimpse of Dharmendra.
After the film’s release, he watched his son’s debut at Gaiety Cinema in Bandra West every evening for several days and would visit Director Rawail’s home afterwards to discuss the film with the same enthusiasm as someone viewing it for the first time each and every day.
Rawail also noted with pride that the legendary actor’s children continue to carry forward his ‘tremendous legacy’.
“Dharam ji was a man whose life must be celebrated, for he brought a lot of pleasure to people”, he said emotionally. He recounted the story of a Delhi police officer who had longed to meet Dharmendra and touch his feet.
Upon learning that the icon had passed away, the officer broke down in grief, called Rawail and expressed his desire to meet Sunny Deol to convey his condolences.
“This is the power of Dharam ji,” Rawail said.
Rawail also called Dharmendra a father figure who nurtured and supported him throughout his career. He also praised him as a wonderful producer.
“We’ve lost a great human being. We were fortunate to have lived in times when icons like Dharmendra ji were working,” he said and expressed gratitude to the IFFI organisers for arranging a special homage to honour the timeless star.
