“The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” Marcus Tullius Cicero could not have captured the profound feelings of losing someone any better. It would be fair to state that the recent passing of action star Dharmendra has left fans in a similar state, reminiscing about their loss.
At such a juncture, we bring you some of the highlights from his illustrious Bollywood career. During the filming of Sholay, the iconic duo Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan performed numerous action sequences together. Curated by the legendary duo Salim–Javed, the film is renowned for its memorable dialogues and stellar performances.
When Dharmendra Nearly Shot Amitabh Bachchan with a Gun
Shooting at live locations often leaves actors without the comfort of controlled environments, forcing them to work under extreme conditions. While working under such circumstances, Dharmendra—out of frustration—accidentally fired a live bullet next to Amitabh Bachchan.
Amitabh Bachchan recounted this incident during an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2020. He said that during the climactic scene, Dharmendra was positioned below on the set while he was on a hill. Dharmendra was supposed to pick up ammunition from a trunk multiple times. After several failed attempts, frustration crept in, and in a moment of irritation, Dharmendra loaded a live round into the gun and pulled the trigger.
Amitabh described that the bullet that went past him made a whoosh sound. He added that the bullet passed inches away from his ear; thankfully, he was unharmed.
The ace actor recalled the story when CRPF DIG Preet Mohan Singh, a contestant on the show, shared his admiration for Sholay and commented on the film’s climax. He mentioned that if Veeru had had more rounds, he would have been able to save Amitabh Bachchan. In response, Bachchan ji shared the story:
“When we were shooting for that scene, Dharmendra was below, and I was on top of the hill. He opened a trunk and tried to pick up the ammunition. He did it once, couldn’t get it right, and did it again, still failing. He became very irritated. I don’t know what he did next, but he loaded the gun with real bullets and fired. I heard a ‘whoosh’ as the bullet went past my ear while I was on the hill. I was lucky to be unhurt. There were many such incidents during the making of Sholay, and it remains a very special film for all of us.”
Dharmedra’s passing has led the fans into a moment of despair, countless are revisiting his filmography , while Bollywood continues to pour in condolences, political heavy weights such as Prime Minsiter Modi and Dropadi Murmu have also expressed their grief.
Also Read: Dharmendra Dies At 89: ‘Teary Eyed’ Amitabh Bachchan visits funeral ground with son Abhishek – WATCH
