Dharmendra worked on Punjabi films at night without charging any fees, reveals director Anil Sharma: ‘He helped so many people’

Veteran actor Dharmendra, who passed away this month at 89, was more than a screen legend, he was a true hero off-camera too. Loved for his charm, warmth, and unforgettable presence, he quietly helped countless filmmakers and actors. Director Anil Sharma, a close friend of the Deol family, recently opened up about how Dharmendra’s kindness and generosity left a lasting mark on the film industry.Speaking to Vickey Lalwani, Anil Sharma said, “Dharam ji has done a film with every single person, and he has done all types of films. He has helped so many people. People used to ask him to do scenes for their Punjabi films after 9 pm, once he was done with his schedule."Anil Sharma recalled, “They used to say, ‘Paaji, mera ghar chal jayega, meri picture bik jayegi’ (My movie will be able to sell, and I’ll be able to run my household). Dharam ji used to do all those films for free, and he used to tell them to come wherever he was shooting and work with them for a couple of hours."Anil Sharma also remembered Dharmendra’s final moments, saying, “I went to his home. He had recovered. He would open his eyes and even move his hands. He was recovering, and doctors were saying that Dharamji bahut strong aadmi hain (Doctors said he is a very strong man)."He added, “Doctors assured us he would recover, and even in the hospital, it looked like he would. But age shows its signs, and you can’t fight that. Everyone was hopeful, and we all thought we would celebrate his birthday on 8 December."Dharmendra’s prayer meet was held on November 27. In a poster released by the family, the event was called a ‘Celebration Of Life’ and featured a picture of Dharmendra from his younger days. The meet saw celebrities from different generations coming together to pay their respects.Stars including Rekha, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Shabana Azmi, Jackie Shroff, Sidharth Malhotra, Suniel Shetty, Ameesha Patel, Fardeen Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Sonu Sood, Anu Malik, Subhash Ghai, Abbas-Mastan and Anil Sharma attended to support the Deol family.