The news of Dharmendra’s passing, just days before his 90th birthday, has left a profound void in the hearts of his family, friends, and fans.
His final rites at Pawan Hans cremation ground were attended by close family and Bollywood stalwarts including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, and Deepika Padukone.
Among those who could not be there was actress Ameesha Patel, who has shared a long-standing and close bond with the Deols.
Speaking to News18 from New York, she said, “I haven’t reached out to the family yet. They’re under immense emotional pressure. I don’t want to trouble them because they’ve enough visitors and callers and it wouldn’t be fair. At this point, they don’t need to be giving condolences to others. They need their privacy to be able to grapple with the situation.”
She added, “It’s not an easy situation for them. They need the time to grief and we need to give them that. But once I reach Mumbai, the first thing I’m going to do is go and see them.”
Earlier this month, she had visited Dharmendra in hospital alongside Shah Rukh, Salman, and Govinda, when the actor was admitted due to breathlessness.
“It was a very tense situation and they needed to be left alone even at that time. He was in a very critical situation. Whether it was Shah Rukh, Salman or me, we were there briefly for ten minutes just to hug Sunny. It was a moment he couldn’t wrap his head around since it was about a person he loves the most,” she recalled.
Ameesha’s connection with the Deols goes back to before Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. She said, “I was supposed to make my debut with Vijeta Films with a film called Samah with Jackie Shroff playing my father and a new boy. I was supposed to play the title role. I interacted a lot with Dharam ji then… He always thought of me as part of his family. He always used to say, ‘Ameesha mere ghar ki beti hai.’”
She fondly remembered one of her last meetings with him: “Last year when I met him at Aamir’s daughter’s reception, he reminded me of a film we were supposed to do together where he was to play my father. He had such a sharp memory. Every time he would meet me, he would hug me and say, ‘Arrey meri Sakina!’ He always made me feel as if I was part of the Deols.”
Reflecting on his legacy, she said, “The Indian film industry has not just lost an iconic actor and the most handsome man probably on this planet but also a legendary human being. Many people get name, fame, stardom and worldwide recognition but when you pass away to leave a legacy where people miss the human being that you were, that’s a bigger achievement. That’s why he has left behind a void in everyone’s heart.”
Dharmendra is survived by his wives, Prakash Kaur and Hema Malini, sons Sunny and Bobby Deol, and daughters Vijeta, Ajeita, Esha, and Ahana Deol.
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