A month after the passing of legendary actor Dharmendra, his son Bobby Deol broke down in a recent interview as he remembered the man behind the icon—not the star, but the father.
“Even his anger was lovely,” an emotional Bobby told the interviewer, struggling to hold back tears. “He was an angel.”
‘He was everything to me’
Bobby, who has largely stayed out of the public eye since his father’s demise on April 23, spoke about the void Dharmendra has left behind.
“He was everything to me. My hero, my guide, my best friend. I still pick up my phone to call him and then I remember,” Bobby said, his voice trailing off.
When asked what he missed most about his father, Bobby said: “His presence. Just him being in the same room. Even if we weren’t talking, just knowing he was there made everything okay.”
‘Even his anger’
Bobby recalled that Dharmendra, despite his larger-than-life screen persona, was a gentle soul at home—but even his rare moments of anger were devoid of malice.
“He would get angry sometimes, obviously. He was human. But even his anger was lovely. He would shout and then five minutes later, he would come and sit next to you like nothing happened. He couldn’t stay angry. That was his heart.”
Bobby added, “People saw the angry young man or the romantic hero. We saw the man who used to feed stray dogs every morning and cried at happy endings in films.”
The last few months
Dharmendra, 90, passed away on April 23 due to age-related health complications. He had been hospitalized for over two weeks before his demise.
Bobby, along with his brother Sunny Deol, sister Esha Deol, and other family members, were by his side in his final moments. The funeral, held at the Vile Parle crematorium in Mumbai, was attended by Bollywood’s who’s who.
Bobby revealed that his father’s health had been deteriorating for months, but Dharmendra refused to “slow down.”
“He would say, ‘Marna toh sabko hai. Main zinda rehna chahta hoon tab tak jab tak main kaam kar sakta hoon.’ He acted till his last year. He shot for a cameo just three months before he was hospitalized. That was his oxygen—acting.”
Dharmendra’s legacy
Dharmendra, one of Hindi cinema’s most enduring icons, starred in over 250 films across a six-decade career. From ‘Sholay’ to ‘Chupke Chupke’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’ to ‘Apne’, he remained relevant across generations—a feat few actors have achieved.
Bobby acknowledged the public outpouring of love. “I knew he was loved. But seeing lakhs of people come out to pay respects, reading the messages… I realized he didn’t belong just to us. He belonged to India.”
Bobby’s career post-loss
Bobby, who experienced a career resurgence with ‘Animal’ (2023) and the ‘Aashram’ web series, has not announced any new projects since his father’s passing. Sources close to the actor say he has taken a break to be with his family.
When asked about returning to work, Bobby said: “I don’t know yet. Right now, every set will remind me of him. He visited me on every shoot, even when he wasn’t working. He would just sit in my van and watch me get ready. That’s what I’ll miss the most.”
A promise kept
Bobby ended the interview with a promise he made to his father.
“He told me once, ‘Beta, main chahta hoon ki jab main na rahoon, log tumhari film dekhkar mujhe yaad karein. Tum woh film banao.’ I haven’t found that script yet. But I will. I will make that film for him.”
As Bobby wiped his tears and smiled faintly, it was clear: Dharmendra may be gone, but in his son’s heart, he remains very much alive.
