Jaideep Ahlawat, widely admired for his powerful performances in projects like Paatal Lok, Jaane Jaan, Maharaj, The Family Man 3 and several others, during the promotion of the last season of Pataak Lok he opened up about a deeply heartwarming and humorous memory from the sets of Ikkis where he shared screen space with Dharmendra. Ikkis will tragically mark the final on-screen appearance of the legendary Dharmendra, who passed away on Monday, 24th November, at the age of 89.Directed by Sriram Raghavan, Ikkis also stars Agastya Nanda, grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, and brings together actors from three different generations. While the film was already special for Jaideep because of its director and subject, sharing screen space with Dharmendra elevated the experience into something unforgettable.
See More: Dharmendra passes away at 89 in at his residence in Mumbai, Karan Johar posts: ‘An end of an era’Recalling his very first interaction with the veteran actor, Jaideep described the moment with a mix of fondness and admiration. He shared that Dharmendra was exactly as gracious, warm, and charismatic as generations of fans have imagined him to be. “He had some of the best one-liners I’ve ever heard, his humour is amazing,” Jaideep said, reflecting on the qualities that made Dharmendra a beloved figure for more than six decades both on and off the screen.Jaideep went on to narrate the memory that has stayed with him, one that beautifully captures Dharmendra’s natural wit and effortless charm. “On my first day, Sriram Sir introduced me to him, I touched his feet and he blessed me. My first scene with him involved me driving a car with Dharmendra ji seated beside him. It was a scene where I had to drive in a straight line and we had to drive the car back at the original mark if there were any retakes..toh raasta thoda teeda meedha tha and I thought kaha assistant director ayega and we will have to get down again etc so I did it myself. And seeing me do it 2-3 times with his signature wit, Dharam ji quipped, ‘Puttar Hun tainu driving license mil sakda hai’ (Son, now you’ll definitely get your driving license) that’s how funny the man is.”Jaideep also shared another small yet striking detail from their meeting, he recalled noticing Dharmendra’s strong, strikingly large hands. “I have fairly big hands but Sir ( Dharam ji) has even bigger hands,” he said, laughing softly as he remembered the moment. It was a simple observation, but one that conveyed how overwhelming it felt to stand beside someone who had shaped the cinematic imagination of generations.See More: Dharmendra Passes Away: Bollywood’s ‘He-Man’ leaves a huge void in the industry; Hema Malini, Esha Deol and others reach crematorium
