Waheeda Rehman recalls her work with Dharmendra, says ‘I wish I had done better films with Dharmendra ji’

Waheeda Rehman, one of Indian cinema’s most revered icons, recently revisited her memories of working with Dharmendra, reflecting on their limited but meaningful collaborations. Known for her grace and honesty, the actress opened up about the admiration she held for him and the regret she carries about not sharing stronger films together.

Waheeda Rehman reflects on the films she shared with Dharmendra

According to Bollywood Hungama, Waheeda remembered Dharmendra as someone deeply grounded in simplicity. She said he always remained the young, sincere man from a village in Punjab who arrived in Mumbai with dreams of becoming an actor. She added that although they worked together, the films they shared “were not too memorable.”




The duo appeared together in a handful of projects, including Khamoshi (1969), Phagun (1973), and the spy thriller Baazi (1970). Yet Waheeda believes their on-screen partnership never reached its full potential.

Speaking about Khamoshi, she recalled that Dharmendra barely had any visibility in the film. “In Khamoshi, his face was not even visible. He acted with his back to the camera and still made a strong impression,” she noted, acknowledging his ability to stand out even in limited roles.

She also remembered Phagun, where Dharmendra again had a smaller part, and their thriller Baazi, a film she now views with embarrassment. “It was a phase when I tried doing glamorous roles to change my very domesticated image,” she admitted. She shared that it was Rajendra Kumar—whom she fondly remembered as someone who called her ‘Mem Saahib’—who encouraged her to experiment with glamour. Looking back, she said, “I am not very proud of that phase. Sometimes one makes mistakes in one’s career, lets go of good films for not-so-good ones. I wish I had done better films with Dharmendra ji.”

See More: Dharmendra passes away: Prayer meet likely to be held this week, location yet to be finalised

Dharmendra’s cinematic legacy

Dharmendra, who recently passed away at the age of 89 after a prolonged illness, continued acting well into his later years. He delighted audiences with his heartfelt role in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani and also appeared in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Fans will see him one final time in Ikkis, starring Agastya Nanda.



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