Filmmaker Anil Sharma opens up about his last meeting with late actor Dharmendra, recalls him telling, "Camera meri mehbooba hai"

He noted that this turned out to be their last meeting, and he reflected on the extraordinary passion Dharmendra still carried within him, even at nearly 90.

Filmmaker Anil Sharma, who shared a long-standing and meaningful association with the late actor Dharmendra and collaborated with him on several films, has now opened up about his final interaction with the legendary star.

In a conversation on Hussain Zaidi’s YouTube channel, Sharma revealed that during their last meeting, Dharmendra expressed a heartfelt longing to return to what he described as his “first love” — cinema — and urged the filmmaker to create a powerful role for him.

Recalling the moment, Anil shared, “I went to meet Bobby Deol at their home in September. Dharmendra ji was sitting there and a lot of people used to come and meet him and he used to meet all of them. He met me also and hugged me. He asked me what am I doing?”

During their conversation, Anil remembered Dharmendra telling him, "He told me yaar Anil beta mere liye ek bahut kamaal ka role likh. Mujhe kuch karna hai abhi, camera meri mehbooba hai, woh mujhe bula rahi hai. Mujhe jaana hai uske paas. Kuch kar abhi. Koi aacha role likh (‘Anil, my son, write a wonderful role for me. I want to do something now. The camera is my beloved; it’s calling me. I need to go to it. Do something now. Write some good role.’”)

Sharma further shared that Dharmendra repeated this heartfelt request three times. “Dharmendra ji told this to me 3 times. I promised him that I will write a role for him. I didn’t know that after a few months he will pass away."

He noted that this turned out to be their last meeting, and he reflected on the extraordinary passion Dharmendra still carried within him, even at nearly 90. His love for cinema remained pure and unwavering — not a business, but a true calling of the heart.

Also read: When Ahana Deol opened up about what she wanted to inherit from Dharmendra

Meanwhile, the Deol family immersed Dharmendra’s ashes in the Ganga at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar on Wednesday, as confirmed by their family priest. Fondly remembered as the “He-Man” of Indian cinema, Dharmendra passed away on November 24 at the age of 89. The rituals were carried out privately, away from media presence and crowds, family priest Sandeep Parashar Shrotriya told PTI.

The Deol family also held a prayer meet in memory of the beloved actor, attended by several members of the film industry who came together to pay their respects.