When Dharmendra allegedly warned the underworld, saying, “Ek bolunga aur truck bharke log Punjab se ladne aa jayenge"

Dharmendra and underworld

In the 1980s and 1990s, when Mumbai’s film industry was held in the iron grip of the underworld, fear was a constant companion for many.

Extortion calls, threats, and forced involvement in mafia-funded films were an unsettling part of Bollywood’s reality.

Stars who once basked in the limelight suddenly found themselves at the mercy of powerful dons. But one man refused to give in and he was none other than Dharmendra, the He-Man of Hindi cinema, who carried his onscreen courage into real life.

The veteran actor, who passed away in Mumbai at 89, was known not only for his magnetic screen presence but also for his fearless heart.

Actor-director Satyajeet Puri, in an interview with Friday Talkies just a month before Dharmendra’s passing, shared why the mafia never dared to cross paths with him.

“The underworld was at its peak then. One phone call and most actors would tremble,” Satyajeet said.

“But Dharmendra and his family were never scared. If anyone from the underworld tried to threaten him, Dharam Ji would tell them, ‘If you come for me, the whole Sahnewal (his native village) will come from Punjab. You might have ten men, but I have an army. Ek bolunga aur truck bharke log Punjab se ladne aa jayenge. So don’t mess with me.’ And they never did.”

Dharmendra’s fearlessness wasn’t an act; it was who he was. Satyajeet Puri recalled an incident from the sets of Ghulami (1985) that showcased the actor’s physical strength and determination. During a horse-riding scene on marble stairs, the horse slipped mid-climb.

“In a split second, Dharmendra slammed his left leg against the marble, and used his thigh strength to push both himself and the animal back upright,” Satyajeet said.

Though furious at the negligence, Dharmendra’s compassion surfaced moments later.

“He immediately gave the owner Rs 200, worried the animal might have been injured.”
His bravery wasn’t limited to the film set.

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“A man once attacked Dharmendra with a knife in public. Within a minute, Dharam Ji had disarmed and pinned the man down,” Puri recounted.

“Today actors move with six bouncers and gunmen. Back then, Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna would walk the streets freely, without any security.”

Dharmendra’s final appearance will be in Sriram Raghavan’s upcoming film Ikkis, where he plays the father of war hero Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. The film will release on 25th December.