धर्मेंद्र को याद कर सोमी अली, मधुर भंडारकर रो पड़े: एक्ट्रेस बोलीं- मुझे प्यार से मुमताज बुलाते थे, मेरे पिता समान थे

A week has passed since the demise of the great actor Dharmendra ji of the Indian film industry. But it is still not possible to forget them. He is being missed everywhere. From the film industry to millions of fans, the pain of his departure is still fresh in the hearts of everyone. Actress Somi Ali and director Madhur Bhandarkar, who have worked with him, in a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar today, talked about their initial days with Dharmendra ji till their last moments.

What was your first reaction when you heard about Dharmendra ji?

Somi Ali- I felt very sad to hear this news. Dharmendra ji was like my father. Dharmendra ji was also the one who brought me into the industry. He was going to launch me in films with his son Bobby, for which a screen test was also done. He also invited me to his house and we spent a lot of time together. He used to lovingly call me Mummu i.e. Mumtaz. He used to say that my nose looks exactly like Mumtaz’s. A few days ago, there was news of his ill health, but later he was discharged from the hospital and came home. Now I can’t believe that he is not among us. He treated me like his own daughter and used to say, “Son, if there is any problem or someone bothers you, then come to me immediately.”

Madhur Bhandarkar- I am very sorry to hear this news. I used to meet Dharmendra ji often at some function or event. He was a man full of life. Dharmendra ji’s energy was amazing. Be it action or comedy, he could play all types of roles very well. His contribution cannot be forgotten. The coming generation will always remember him. He used to be very active on social media also.

Can you tell about that last moment of you and Dharmendra ji, even if it was the last memory of a film set?

Somi Ali- Our last meeting was on the sets of the film Mafia. We were shooting in Mahabaleshwar. In the film, I was playing the character of a police officer and Dharmendra ji was playing the role of a vigilante, who I had to arrest. While shooting the scene, I jokingly said, “Dharmendra ji, I can’t arrest you.” So his reply came, “You will do it, you can do anything.” After that scene he hugged me. I touched his feet. His last words to me during the wrap-up of the film were, “I am your daddy. If you ever face any trouble, come to me.” I took his blessings and left from there.

Was there anything common between you and Dharmendra ji? Like both of them did not like dancing on-screen and both were shy.

Somi Ali- Yes, we had two things in common. I told him that I have never danced since childhood and I do not know how to dance. Then Dharmendra ji said, “Son, even I don’t know.” And after hearing this, both of us laughed a lot. Secondly, both Dharmendra ji and I used to write our dialogues not in Hindi but in Urdu. We also wrote each other’s name in Urdu and gave it to each other.

Dharmendra ji has done more than 300 films in his career. Is there any film of his which is closest to your heart?

Somi Ali- Yes, my favorite film of Dharmendra ji is Khamoshi. I myself had done my Masters in Psychology, so I could relate to that film the most. Also, I found his on-screen pairing with every actress very beautiful whether it was Zeenat or Hema Malini in Sholay. Dharmendra ji’s comedy timing in Sholay is praiseworthy.

Would you like to say something about Dharmendra ji’s legacy for the new generation artists?

Somi Ali- I would just say that there was no person like Dharmendra ji in the industry. He was a very noble and clean-hearted person. I had never imagined that he would leave us so soon.