]Mumbai: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was seen getting extremely emotional on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati as the episode opened with a heartfelt tribute to cinema’s beloved ‘He-Man’, Dharmendra.
An emotional Amitabh Bachchan, whose voice trembled as he spoke about his friend, family, and lifelong inspiration, was seen visibly teary-eye as he remembered his ‘Veeru’.
Remembering the icon and reflecting on Dharmendra’s final cinematic offering, ‘Ikkis’, Amitabh Bachchan shared, “The film Ikkis is the last precious memento for us, which was left behind for millions of people. An artist wants to practise art till the last breath of his life, and this is exactly what my friend, my family, and my idol, Mr Dharmendra Deol, did.”
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His voice softened as he further added, “Mr Dharam was not just a person. He was feeling, and a feeling never lets you go. It becomes a memory, a blessing that keeps you going.” The megastar then recalled a poignant memory from Sholay, saying, “We were shooting in Bangalore. He had what I call a physical quality — he was a wrestler, a hero.
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In the death scene, the agony you saw on screen was real because of the way he held me so tightly that the pain turned into natural acting.” The anecdote revealed Dharmendra not just as a screen legend but as a deeply instinctive artist who elevated everyone around him.
Adding to the tribute, Sriram Raghavan, the director of Ikkis, who appeared on KBC to promote the movie, said, “I am very blessed that he is working in my last film and that his last film is something he is extraordinarily good at.”
Actor Jaideep Ahlawat, who is also a part of Ikkis, echoed the sentiment, sharing, “I was lucky to have most of my scenes with him. On set, it never felt like a superstar was sitting with us; he felt like family.”
For the uninitiated, Dharmendra and Amitabh’s characters as Jai and Veeru from the cult classic Sholay, even after 50 years of the movie’s release, are considered iconic. Their friendship was not just limited to the screen but continued to flourish behind the lens as well, making them one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated on- and off-screen duos.
