Director reveals Dharmendra wanted to remake THIS Hollywood classic
What's the story
Veteran actor Dharmendra had expressed a desire to star in a role similar to Clint Eastwood's character in The Bridges of Madison County, which also starred Meryl Streep. This revelation was made by director Sriram Raghavan, who directed him in his last film, Ikkis. Raghavan shared that Dharmendra had envisioned himself in that role.
Director's perspective
'I had my Clint Eastwood in Dharam ji'
Raghavan said, "Dharam ji kept telling me, 'Let's do The Bridges of Madison County.'" "I had my Clint Eastwood in Dharam ji. But who would play Meryl Streep?" He added that despite his age, Dharmendra was a vital presence on the set of Ikkis. "His enthusiasm was infectious. He would come on the sets with his lines fully memorized."
Final film
Dharmendra's role in 'Ikkis' and off-screen camaraderie
Raghavan also spoke about Dharmendra's character in Ikkis. He said, "It is not a cameo. Dharam ji has a full-fledged role." The director added that the actor treated his co-star Agastya Nanda like his own grandson and had so much love to give. "We felt much older than him... Destiny had other plans," he said, alluding to the loss of Dharmendra before the film's release.
Film's emotional weight
'I wish he watched the entire film'
The film Ikkis, which is set to release on December 25, has taken on added emotional weight as it is Dharmendra's last release. Raghavan shared that the film tells the story of a young soldier who dies at 21. "Luckily, I was able to show him 70% of the film. But I wish he watched the entire film," he said.