The Indian film industry and millions of fans worldwide are mourning the profound loss of legendary superstar Dharmendra. In an exclusive and heartfelt interview with SCREEN, celebrated director Anil Sharma, a long-time confidant of the Deol family, opened up about the icon's passing and how the family is coping during this immensely difficult period.
A Celebration, Not a Goodbye
Anil Sharma clarified that the gathering for Dharmendra, scheduled for Thursday in Mumbai, is not a somber prayer meet but a joyous celebration of his life and legacy. He confirmed his attendance, emphasising the global scale of the tribute. "I will attend for sure. But, it's not a prayer meet, we are celebrating Dharam ji. The entire world is celebrating him. What Dharam ji has earned, he deserves a celebration. It is bigger than any state honour," Sharma stated.
Addressing the family's decision to hold a private funeral, which left some fans disappointed, the Gadar director expressed a poignant perspective. He remarked that the outpouring of love from across the globe renders a state honour almost insignificant in comparison. "The whole world is honouring him, state honour isn't needed. Not just the country, the entire world, they are getting calls from Australia, Japan, Canada, everywhere. People are celebrating him everywhere," he revealed.
The Family's Heartbreak and Endearing Memories
When asked about the emotional state of the Deol family, Anil Sharma's words were heavy with sorrow. "There's nothing to say in this, it's understood. The entire world has tears in their eyes, and so does me and the Deol family. They are also very broken," he shared, painting a picture of a family united in grief.
Sharma also reminisced about his cherished memories with the late actor, recalling his smiling face, loving nature, and the affectionate pats on the head he would give. He fondly remembered their first meeting on the set of 'The Burning Train', where a young Sharma touched the star's feet. "He always used to say, 'Mehnat karo, jeete raho (work hard, live long)'. I can never forget those moments. He was a gold human," the director emotionally recounted.
Dharmendra's Professional Brilliance and the Future of Apne 2
Anil Sharma highlighted Dharmendra's exceptional professionalism and sharp instincts as a storyteller. He revealed that when he narrated the story of 'Hukumat' to the superstar, he received a confirmation within just five minutes. "He never listened to an idea more than five minutes, gave a yes or no within that time, he knew it had impact or not. Today's stars should learn that sensibility from him," Sharma advised.
He further described Dharmendra's humble character, noting that the megastar always saw himself as part of the audience and never lost his down-to-earth charm, as if "he just came from Ludhiana's town Sahnewal."
Finally, addressing the swirling rumours about the sequel 'Apne 2' being shelved after Dharmendra's demise, Anil Sharma firmly denied giving any such statement. "All these stories are going on, I don't know where it came from. We aren't even having any discussions over it, our minds are not even focused on this," he said, adding thoughtfully, "But yes, a tribute to Dharam ji is being made through Apne 2." The original 2007 film featured Dharmendra alongside his sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol.
