Actor Aamir Khan recently shared a heartwarming story about taking his son Azad to meet legendary actor Dharmendra.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Aamir said, "I used to go and sit with him. One day, I took Azad with me, my son. I said, I want you to meet someone, because Azad has not really seen his work. But he came with me and we spent a couple of hours with him, and it was really wonderful."
While talking about the veteran actor, Aamir said, "Dharamji was not only such a fine actor, but he was a great human being. He was so gentle; he was like a gentle giant."
"And he was very loving. No matter who he met, whether a colleague or someone not from the industry, he was always very warm and soft in the way he interacted," the Lagaan actor added.
Aamir Khan On Dharmendra's Death
Aamir described Dharmendra's death as a "great loss" to the film industry.
"Dharamji was an institution. His Satyakam still teaches us. He was a wonderful person, he was a great actor, and it's a great loss for all of us," he said.
The 3 Idiots actor also spoke about Dharmendra's command over language. "He had such a good command over his language. I mean, his Hindustani was so clean. It was amazing to hear him. Even at live events when he spoke, he had such grace."
Aamir further recalled, "I remember I was at the book launch for Yusuf Saab, Dilip Kumar Ji, and he spoke with such dignity."
Dharmendra, fondly known as the industry's "He-Man", died on November 24 at the age of 89, marking the end of an era in Indian cinema.
The final rites of the actor were held at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Vile Parle.
Actors Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, Ranveer Singh, and Deepika Padukone were among those spotted arriving at the cremation ground to pay their condolences to the Deol family.
To honour his life and legacy, the Deol family organised a prayer meet titled "Celebration of Life" on November 27 at Seaside Lawns, Taj Lands End in Bandra, Mumbai.
Aryan Khan, Salman Khan, Aisharya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and others were among the attendees.
Aamir Khan On Iconic Moments In His Career
During the fireside chat at IFFI, Aamir was also asked about iconic moments in his career, but he said that each film has been an equally important journey, and any so-called "iconic moment" is for the audience, not him, to decide.
He explained that he has always been guided by instinct, not strategy. As a child fascinated by stories, he grew up listening to narrations meant for his producer father, often hiding behind curtains before being invited to sit openly. Those years, he said, became an unplanned gurukul, shaping his script sense long before he entered cinema.
Aamir also mentioned that because of this relationship with stories, he has never repeated himself simply for comfort. Whenever he finishes a particular kind of film, he feels no excitement in doing another similar one. This instinct has often gone against industry conventions - whether it was choosing Lagaan, Sarfarosh, Dil Chahta Hai, Taare Zameen Par or Ghajini - at times when they were not considered commercially "safe". Yet the audience embraced them, often redefining trends instead of following them.
The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which began in Goa on November 20, will conclude on Friday, November 28.
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