Every moment with Jagdeep was lively: Dharmendra

Bollywood lost its iconic actor and comedian Jagdeep who has more than 400 films to his credit. While he worked with many actors in his career, he shared a great rapport with Dharmendra. They worked together in films like, ‘Sholay’, ‘Soorma Bhopali’, ‘Pratigya’, ‘Sultanat’, and more.

ETimes exclusively got in touch with Dharmendra who opened up about the veteran actor’s sad demise. Talking about the same, Dharmendra said, “I was shattered as soon as I got the news yesterday. I am at my farmhouse so there are network issues. Shockingly, we are losing people one after another. I am losing my co-artists and my loving people. Jagdeep was very close to me. He was a good friend and was really a great actor. He has worked with me in ‘Sholay’, ‘Pratigya’ and many other films. He used to make every single moment with him very lively.

Elaborating further, he added, “Comedy is the most difficult thing. You can make anybody emotional in a second but to make somebody laugh is great art. Look at his beginning from Bimal Roy’s film to so many films with me. I used to go to his house and meet his mother, his wife and his kids who were young then. He was like a family to me. He had given me a few old coins. I was just looking at them today. Don aana, chaar aana from those days. He told me that he knows that I like coins and that he wants me to have them. I took it because he gave it with love. I had a very good time with him. We say we have to move on but it is very difficult.”


“Like me, he too came from the village to Mumbai. He achieved so much in his career. We will miss him. We lost so many artists this year. I feel very sad. I am an emotional person. I get attached to people I love. Jagdeep had made a film called, ‘Soorma Bhopali’. He had asked me to act in the film and I did. I played Dharmendra in the film. We were together in many films and locations. He used to change his looks in no time. The best thing about him is that he was a very good human being. I will always remember him. I will pray that his soul rests in peace and may God give his family and his sons all the strength in the world. I share their pain,” he averred.


When asked if he was in touch with the ace comedian, he said, “I wasn’t in touch with him recently because I am at my farmhouse due to the lockdown. When I was in Mumbai, he used to come to my house often. I also used to go and visit him at his place. We were like family to each other.”