Dharmendra: I don’t want a biopic

The day I met Dharmendra at a luxury hotel, the veteran actor had posted a video of buffaloes grazing on his farm on his Instagram account. “I’m a villager at heart. A true villager will always remain that, even when he’s sitting in a five-star hotel like this,” he told me.

The octogenarian spoke to us about his upcoming outing — Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se — the third instalment of the comedy franchise with his sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. Often, he broke out into poetry and only once, did I get to see his garam side when the waiter kept a jug of water on a table with a loud thud. “Bandh karo yaar!” he bellowed, adding that the noise was disturbing him. But the next instant, he was back to being naram Dharam, as the server placed another glass of water on the table, gently this time. “Shabaash, jeete raho,” he blessed him.

Recalling the time when Apne had released and the Deols were visiting the US, the actor said that audiences there had told him that they loved the movie, but it made them cry. “I told them, I will make you laugh next time. That’s when I picked the script for Yamla Pagla Deewana. If I can make people cry, I can make them laugh as well. For me, acting is reacting and an emotional person reacts faster. So, emotional people are blessed,” he added.

You have acted with your sons in three movies now. What’s special about doing Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se, which is your fourth outing together?

We have made this film to make people laugh. When we made the first one, people liked it a lot. Doosri banayi, pit gayi. This one has turned out so funny ki dubbing karte huye hasi nikal rahi thi! It’s an entertaining film. People have some special feelings for me, my kids and seeing us together adds a beauty to the characters. There are some emotional scenes, too, which strike a chord with the audience. 

You seem to enjoy the comedy space...

I do. I have done so many comedies. Right from Chupke Chupke, Naukar Biwi Ka, Sholay mein bhi comedy thi, aur kya tha? I think I have had that comic streak from childhood. Any person who wants to be an actor should know himself and the capacity he has. If you see Seeta Aur Geeta and then Chupke Chupke, you will see how differently I have played both the characters. Comedy needs timing. I’ve done several films with Mehmood bhai. Other heroes were scared of working with him. Maine usse kaha mere saath theek rehna. He was a good friend of mine. Main usko zyaada nahi karne deta tha, because I knew ki yahan yeh score karne ki koshish kar raha hai (laughs).

We met your son, Bobby, recently and he’s again back to his fit self. He gives a lot of credit to Salman Khan for this...

It’s your peer group that can inspire you. If the father says something, sometimes children don’t listen. If a friend tells them the same thing, they do.

He said you have been quite proud of his turnaround...

I’ve always been proud of my children. It’s the only relationship where you want your kids to be better than you. Others wouldn’t want you to go higher, only a father will want that for his son.

Your grandson Karan is all set to make his debut as an actor...

Yes, let’s see how that goes. I think star sons go through a tough time. People tend to think that they are born with a silver spoon. ‘Yeh uska beta hai’, they say. Aadha credit toh bechare ka aise hi chala jaata hai. With someone like me, they would say that he’s come from a village and made a name for himself. Woh credit inko nahin milta. Sunny deserves much more than what he is getting today. Bobby, too, is good. My kids are emotional and I think such people always make for good actors. They don’t know method acting. If you see my films, there were no mannerisms. I was never Dharmendra in my film. It’s human nature to want to be loved, liked and admired, so there is nothing like showbiz for me. Shauhrat toh nahi maangi thi maine, mohabbat maangi thi. Mohabbat dilon mein ghar kar jaati hai.

If a biopic was made on your life...

Nahi nahi, no biopic for me.

But you have led such an interesting life?

I agree, but I wouldn’t want a biopic. Maine toh apni biography tak nahi likhi, sabki char char kitabein aa gayi hain. I might make a travelogue or something. When I look at my old photos, I tell him, ‘tu ban gaya hero’. He (referring to himself) was dying to be a hero.

When you look back now, do you have any regrets?

You make some mistakes in life. I’m human. If I get to live this life again, I would like to rectify them.

And career-wise?

I don’t have any regrets when it comes to my career. If I get to live another life, I would want to be a hero again. Even today, I have girls tweeting to me, saying, ‘We used to have a crush on you, etc’. Everyone likes to be admired, liked and loved. There is no bigger high than that.