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When Dharmendra lost enthusiasm for film because he thought director was favoring THIS co-actor; creator says 'he would point things out like…’
Dharmendra once lost enthusiasm for a film, suspecting the director favored Shabana Azmi. The project was shelved, leaving an anticipated collaboration unfinished.
Director Sai Paranjpye recently reminisced about her one attempt at a commercial film. She revealed that Dharmendra had approached her to collaborate on the project. However, midway through, Dharmendra became disheartened, believing that the director was favoring his co-star Shabana Azmi. He would often point out how things should be done, and ultimately, the film was never completed.
In a recent conversation with The Culture Cafe by AMV, Sai Paranjpye shared her experience of working on an unfinished project with Dharmendra. She recalled that the actor, known for his charm, approached her with enthusiasm to collaborate on a film. Sai had a concept in mind—about two con artists—and titled it Bichhoo. She envisioned Dharmendra in the lead role and cast Shabana Azmi opposite him. Despite the excitement around the project, it unfortunately never got completed.
The project began on a high note, but as time went on, things took a turn. Sai explained that Dharmendra, initially excited about the film, soon realized that her style wasn’t commercial enough. One incident that stood out to her was a scene where Shabana Azmi and Dharmendra were facing off. In the scene, Dharmendra speaks to her, but she charges at him while his back is to the camera.
During the shoot, Dharmendra was asked to move in a particular way and make certain hand gestures to convey that his character was lying. After Sai Paranjpye called cut, Dharmendra requested close-ups of his performance. She, however, explained that a close-up wasn’t necessary as his back had already conveyed the message. This decision seemed to make Dharmendra uncomfortable, and he began to suspect that she was favoring Shabana’s character.
She shared, “He thought I was favouring the heroine. I don’t know what he thought. That day onwards, he would point things out like how certain things should be done. And then gradually, the whole tempo sort of slacked. I came to the realisation that he is not all that enthusiastic about it. The film came to a halt.”
Sai shared that the sudden halt of the film was a disappointment for everyone, especially since the combination of her direction and Dharmendra’s presence had generated a lot of anticipation. Despite the setback, she praised Dharmendra for his professionalism, noting that he remained a gentleman throughout the process. He never spoke negatively about her in the press, and she, in turn, reciprocated the respect.
Meanwhile, Dharmendra has made significant contributions to the Indian film industry, entertaining audiences for decades since his debut in Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere in 1960. More recently, he shared the screen with Shabana Azmi in Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani alongside Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh.
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