Jaideep Ahlawat recalls working with late star Dharmendra in Ikkis, shares heartfelt moment with him: ‘Hun tainu driving..’

Jaideep Ahlawat recalls working with late star Dharmendra in Ikkis. Read his emotional moment with Dharmendra from the sets.

In the glitzy and glamorous world of cinema, we only see the final picture in the theatre, but there is a lot more that happens behind the scenes that doesn’t meet the eye. Some of these moments are wrapped in emotions, legacy, or gratitude. One such similar moment occurred during the last film of legendary actor Dharmendra—Ikkis. Jaideep Ahlawat recently recalled working with Dharmendra in Ikkis, and now with He-Man’s passing, these moments hold even deeper meaning.

A dream collaboration he will never forget

Jaideep recalled in an interview about sharing the same screen space with Dharmendra. He called it a “historic moment” in his journey, one that would always remain close to his heart. Jaideep also shared that Dharmendra was unwell during parts of the shoot, but his energy, humour and warmth never faded.

With Dharmendra now gone, Ikkis’ release has turned into a tribute as well as a treasure. At a recent event, Jaideep spoke of how the late star brought joy to the set every day and how working with him felt like a blessing few receive in a lifetime.

A moment that melted his heart and made him laugh

One of Jaideep’s most cherished memories came during a light conversation. He said, “He received so much love because he gave everyone the same love. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to elaborate, but I felt him every time I worked with him…when I walked, when I got up. I still remember one time I was asking him a story when he suddenly looked at me, covered his mouth and said, ‘Kinna Shona Puttar Hai’ (What a beautiful son he is). I started thinking, Dharam ji is calling me beautiful.” He added, “Vo kahaniyaa sunate the, kavitayen sunata the,” he recalled, remembering how the actor often narrated poems and stories on set.

Another fond memory came while filming a scene involving reversing a car. Dharmendra sat behind him while multiple retakes were happening due to technical adjustments. When the final take was approved, Dharmendra laughed and said, “Hun puttar, hun tainu driving license mil sakda hai” (son, now you can get a driving license), leaving the entire set smiling.

Dharmendra’s presence changed the energy of the set

According to Jaideep, every time Dharmendra stepped onto the set, the atmosphere changed. “Jab vo set par aate the, toh mahul ko itna asaan karte the.” Though the role Jaideep played alongside him wasn’t easy, being around someone so genuine made shooting feel effortless.

Jaideep once also said, “Dharmendra mere hai, aur humesha mere rahenge.” A sentence that holds an even deeper meaning today.

Dharmendra’s Eternal Legacy

Legendary actor Dharmendra took his last breath at the age of 89 after battling with a prolonged illness. His loss has left an irreplaceable void in the hearts of his fans and admirers. Although he is not with us today, but he will always stay alive in our hearts through his work and the warmth he carried.