Veteran actor Dharmendra, 89, who was recently discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, continues to recover at home. While fans and colleagues have been sending the legendary star their best wishes, actor Govinda’s wife Sunita Ahuja has now opened up about how deeply his hospitalisation affected her. In her latest YouTube vlog, Sunita became emotional while recalling her long-time admiration for the superstar.
‘Dharmendra was my childhood crush’
Responding to a fan who asked her to share a special memory of Dharmendra, Sunita said she had an unexpected breakdown when she heard that the actor had been shifted to the ICU. Calling him her “jaan,” she fondly revisited the time she performed with him on stage.Sunita recalled, “Oh my god! Woh toh mere jaan hain, Dharam ji. Unke saath mein show kiya tha, hum dono ne dance bhi kiya tha. Mere childhood crush hai! Aur mujhe itne pasand hain.” (Oh my God! Dharam ji is my life. I once did a show with him and we even danced together. He is my childhood crush! I like him so much.)She continued, “Main jab wapas aayi hun Dubai se, udhar jab mujhe khabar mila ki woh ICU mein hain, aap vishwas nahi karoge, main event mein jaa rahi thi, main itna royi hun. Meri daughter ka phone aaya, main itna royi ki mera haalat kharab ho gaya.” (When I returned from Dubai and heard that he was in the ICU, you won’t believe it—I was heading to an event and I cried so much. My daughter called me, and I cried so much that I became unwell.)She recalled that even upon landing in Mumbai, she continued praying for his recovery, “Aur main jab airport bhi aayi, toh mujhe media ne poocha, toh maine bola nahi, ‘Maata rani se main pukaare jaa rahi hun ki maata rani unko swasth rakhein, mast rakhein’.” (And when I reached the airport, the media asked me, and I said, ‘I am praying to the Goddess that she keeps him healthy and happy.)She added, “Maine yeh bhi bola ‘Punjabi hain, kabhi haar nahi maanenge’. Humaare film industry ke He-Man ek hi hain, woh hain Dharam ji. Bhagwan unko 100 saal ki umar de, meri bhi umar Bhagwan unko de dein… Lots and lots of love, Dharam ji, I love you a lot.” (I also said, ‘He’s Punjabi, he will never give up.’ There is only one He-Man in our film industry, and that is Dharam ji. May God give him a life of 100 years, may God even give him my years… Lots and lots of love, Dharam ji, I love you a lot.)
Celebs slam paparazzi for insensitivity during Dharmendra’s recovery
Dharmendra’s health scare has also reignited concerns about the intrusive behaviour of certain sections of the media. On Wednesday, Sunny Deol lost his cool at photographers stationed outside his home shortly after his father’s discharge. A visibly distressed Sunny folded his hands as he told them, “Aap logon ko sharam aani chahiye… Aapke ghar mein maa-baap hain, bacche hain…” (You should be ashamed… You also have parents and children at home...)His reaction prompted an outpouring of support from industry colleagues including Nikitin Dheer, Farah Khan Ali, Karan Johar, Ameesha Patel, Jackie Shroff, Madhur Bhandarkar and others, who criticised the lack of “courtesy and sensitivity” shown during such an emotionally charged moment for the Deol family.
