Bollywood’s ‘He-Man’, Dharmendra, was more than just a superstar; he was a man who stole hearts on and off the screen. The legendary actor passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025, leaving fans, colleagues, and the entire film industry deeply saddened.
Known for his charm, charisma, and down-to-earth nature, Dharmendra was admired not only for his heroic roles on screen but also for the warmth and kindness he extended to everyone around him. Experienced actress Sharmila Tagore, who starred alongside him in timeless classics like Satyakam and Chupke Chupke, fondly remembered a man who never let fame change him.
Dharmendra dies at the age of 89; Bachchans, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan pay their last respects
Sharmila Tagore remembers Dharamji’s unchanged warm personality
Sharing her memories of Dharmendra, Tagore described him as affable, cooperative, and infinitely humble.
In an interview with PTI, she said, “I didn’t notice any change in him till the end. As an actor, of course, he was wonderful to act with and in his attitude towards the audience or the people on the set, he was the same affable, cooperative person. He met people, rich and poor, with the same warmth. I saw him hugging a man on the street without hesitation.”
“She added, “He was just different. He never forgot his roots and spoke openly about them.”
He was, as they say, a man of the earth and he remained very close to his true self… I haven’t seen any change in him in terms of fame and popularity.
She talks about her work in Hrishikesh Mukherjee films
Dharmendra and Tagore shared the screen together in several Hindi films, but their work with the acclaimed director Hrishikesh Mukherjee stands out. They acted together in films like Anupama and Satyakam, both of which are among her best performances. Their most popular collaboration was the comedy Chupke Chupke, in which Dharmendra played a botany professor who pretended to be a Hindi-speaking driver.
Tagore said, “For ‘Chupke Chupke,’ he should have gotten the National Award. He was brilliant. But I think back then people thought comedy wasn’t… only a serious actor should get awards, maybe something like that.” Dharmendra also appeared in Mukherjee’s Majhli Didi Meena Kumari ‘Guddi’ with Jaya Bachchan and ‘Chaitali’ with Saira Banu, proving his versatility across genres.
She remembers how the director used to tease him
Tagore recalled how Mukherjee teased Dharmendra about playing simple, relatable characters, unlike his usual “muscle man” roles.
She recalled, “Hrishida was teasing him. He said to Dharamji, ‘Forget that you are Dharmendra, the muscle man. Here you are playing a very good role…’ He made us laugh… We were all very relaxed on the set of Hrishida… I think Dharam liked that atmosphere
