Veteran actor Dharmendra is one of the most beloved and iconic stars of Indian cinema. Their romance was the epitome of old-school Bollywood love. Here’s an interesting story from the sets of Sholay.
Bollywood superstar Dharmendra is considered one of the most beloved and famous stars of Indian cinema. Not long ago, a rumour about his health started to circulate on social media platforms, where it was even said that he had died. The untrue news spread like wildfire on the 11th of November 2025. But his child, Esha Deol, made a post on Instagram saying that Dharmendra was alright and gaining strength. She asked people not to share such rumors unless the facts were verified. At the same time, the captivating love story of Dharmendra and Hema Malini, which is filled with many interesting anecdotes, has once again attracted public attention. One such incident is from the sets of Sholay, which deepened their relationship.
Did Dharmendra bribe the crew to stretch an intimate scene with Hema Malini?
Dharmendra and Hema Malini’s love story is one of Bollywood’s most talked-about real-life stories. It is said that the two began to grow close during the shooting of the film Sholay (1975). Especially in the revolver training scene, where the romance between Veeru and Basanti was depicted in the film, a special bond was developing between the two in real life. Dharmendra wanted to reshoot this scene again and again so that he could hug Hema Malini for a little longer. Hema Malini was initially a little shy, but gradually, Dharmendra’s dedication and sincerity impressed her.
How many rupees did Dharmendra spend on the Sholay crew?
A famous anecdote from the sets of Sholay tells of a fun trick Dharmendra devised to get retakes. He paid the spot boys on set 20 rupees each and asked them to deliberately ruin the scene—dropping a reflector, shaking a trolley, or making some minor mistake. This would force the scene to be reshot, giving Dharmendra the opportunity to spend more time with Hema Malini. It is said that during the entire shoot, he spent approximately 2,000 rupees on retakes. During this time, their friendship gradually blossomed into deep love.
Hema Malini about Dharmendra
Hema Malini has said in several interviews that she deeply admired Dharmendra’s nature, his gentleness, and his unwavering commitment to each other. In August 2025, at the 25th anniversary of Sholay, she explained that their relationship began as friendship and blossomed into love, a love that is clearly evident in the film. After dating for nearly five years, they quietly married in 1979, following Iyengar customs. In her book, Beyond the Dream Girl (2017), Hema wrote that Dharmendra stood by her through every difficulty. According to her, a person like Dharmendra, who possessed both toughness and tenderness, is rare.
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