Sriram remembers Dharmendra had a 'tough time' dubbing for 'Ikkis'
What's the story
The late Bollywood icon Dharmendra's last film, Ikkis, is set to hit theaters on December 25. Sadly, the actor passed away on November 24, just a month before the film's release. In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, director Sriram Raghavan opened up about his experience working with the veteran actor and how he would often rewrite his lines in Urdu during dubbing sessions.
Dubbing sessions
'He would ask, 'What is he saying?'
Raghavan revealed Dharmendra was not at his best during the dubbing sessions in October. The director said, "At that time, I could see that he was having a tough time dubbing. I told him to get better soon." "Jaideep (Ahlawat, his co-star) says the dialogues under his breath and Dharam ji probably found it a bit hard to understand." "He would ask, 'What is he saying?' I'd tell him not to worry and ask Jaideep to speak a bit loudly."
Actor's dedication
Dharmendra's preparation and contribution to 'Ikkis'
Despite the challenges, Dharmendra was well-prepared for his scenes. Raghavan praised the actor for knowing not just his lines but also those of other actors. "The good thing about Dharam ji was that he used to be prepared enough to know the other actor's lines," he said. He added that Dharmendra would often rewrite his own lines in Urdu and give multiple takes to choose from.
Actor's impact
Dharmendra's influence on 'Ikkis'
Raghavan revealed that one of the main reasons he agreed to direct Ikkis was Dharmendra. He said, "When I got this story, it's almost like, maybe, a part of my decision to do this film might have been Dharam ji." The director added that when he narrated the story to Dharmendra, even before casting other actors, the veteran star loved it.
Actor's dedication
Dharmendra was involved with 'Ikkis' over many years
Raghavan shared that Dharmendra had been asking about Ikkis for the past 4-5 years. "Over the last 4-5 years, he used to ask when we would be starting Ikkis," he said. The director added that even before his last film Merry Christmas, he had shared the idea for Ikkis with Dharmendra and started shooting despite Merry Christmas's release being pending.