When Jaya Bachchan admitted she loved Dharmendra, said 'He was good-looking, I should have played Basanti...'

When Jaya Bachchan admitted she loved Dharmendra, said 'He was good-looking, I should have played Basanti...'

When news recently broke that Dharmendra was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital and placed under close medical observation, many fans instinctively went back to his legacy, his presence, the way he has lived on screen and off. And somewhere in that memory lane sits a small but unforgettable moment from Jaya Bachchan’s early career. Long before she became one half of Hindi cinema’s most talked–about couple, she was the wide, eyed newcomer who walked into Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Guddi, playing a girl who adored Dharmendra with an almost devotional sincerity. The twist is, that admiration wasn’t entirely acting.

In Guddi, she portrayed a 16-year-old innocent, starstruck girl. At the time of filming, Jaya herself was only 22, still finding her place in the industry. Dharmendra was already a celebrated star, known for his striking good looks and heroic presence. The admiration was effortless, almost inevitable.

True to her straightforward nature, Jaya Bachchan has never tried to hide that she once had a crush on Dharmendra. She once spoke about it on Koffee With Karan, recalling with candid honesty how she used to be nervous around him.

She said, “I think I should have played Basanti because I loved Dharmendra. When I saw him for the first time, I got so nervous, I didn’t know what to do. There was this fantastic looking man. He was wearing these white pants and shoes, looking like a Greek god.”

What made the moment unforgettable was that she had said this in front of Hema Malini, Dharmendra’s wife, who was also present during the conversation. Hema smiled, aware of both Dharmendra’s screen aura and the affection many held for him.

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The connection between Jaya and Dharmendra did not fade with time. Decades later, they reunited for Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. The reunion wasn’t dramatic; it was warm, grounded, and reflective of two artists who had seen each other grow across eras of cinema. Dharmendra himself shared a picture with Jaya while promoting the film, writing, “Barson baad… Apni Guddi ke saath. Guddi… jo kabhi badi fan thi meri. A happy news.”

In another interview, Dharmendra spoke about how he still sees Jaya as the same girl from Guddi. He said, “For me, she is still Guddi, with that same lovely smile. The years have flown by, but she hasn’t changed, not one bit.” Jaya, in her playful but firm tone, often responds saying, “Main ab Guddi nahin rahi,” but Dharmendra lovingly insists, “Mere liye to tum hamesha Guddi rahogi. She’s family and will always remain a little baby for us.”

Their bond was never romantic. It was rooted in admiration, innocence, and deep artistic respect. Jaya Bachchan went on to create a legacy with films like Abhimaan, Koshish, and Sholay, while Dharmendra cemented his stardom with hits like Phool Aur Patthar and Sholay among many others. Yet, their story remains a soft, beautiful footnote in Hindi cinema’s emotional archives.