'Apne 2' will remain 'incomplete' with Dharmendra's passing: Anil Sharma
What's the story
Filmmaker Anil Sharma, who was working on the sequel to his 2007 hit Apne, has said that the project is now an "incomplete story" following Dharmendra's death. The veteran actor passed away on Monday morning at his Mumbai residence at the age of 89. In a recent interview with PTI, Sharma expressed his sadness over the loss and reflected on their last meeting.
Filmmaker's statement
'His love will always be there for us'
Sharma said, "I feel sad. Some regrets stay. Not everything is complete in this world. Some stories remain incomplete." "But Dharam ji is in our memories and will always be. His love will always be there for us. And our love and the love of the whole of India will always be there for him." The sequel was announced in 2020 and was to feature Dharmendra's grandson Karan Deol along with sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol.
Final encounter
Sharma's meeting with Dharmendra months ago
Sharma also recalled his meeting with Dharmendra a few months ago. He said, "I had gone to meet Bobby, and Dharmendraji was sitting outside. I met him, touched his feet and hugged him." "He was very happy. He asked me 'Kaisa hai Chotu?' He used to call me Chotu." "I told him, 'I'm doing well.' He asked me what I was doing. I told him that I was preparing for a film."
Career impact
Dharmendra's influence on Sharma's career
Sharma spoke about Dharmendra's influence on his career. He said, "My whole journey was with Dharam ji. And to tell you the truth, I had never seen a hero on screen in my life." "The first hero I saw on screen was Dharmendra." "He was able to become Dharam ji because he was very warm. When you are a good person, you can reach great heights. Dharmendra proved this to me," he added.
Film details
'Apne' featured a star-studded cast
Released in 2007, Apne was a heartfelt sports drama about family, redemption, and second chances. The film starred Dharmendra as Baldev Chaudhary, an aging former boxer seeking to reclaim his lost honor. Sunny and Bobby played his sons Angad and Karan who follow in their father's footsteps. The movie also starred Katrina Kaif, Shilpa Shetty, Kirron Kher, and Divya Dutta. Meanwhile, Sharma's first film with Dharmendra was Hukumat in 1987.