Whether it was their smashing romance in evergreen hits like Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969) or the earthy magic of blooming love in Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), Jubilee Parekh aka Asha Parekh, and the debonair He-Man of Bollywood, Dharmendra, were a match made in heaven on the big screen.
Asha Parekh and Dharmendra in Mera Gaon Mera Desh
What astonishes many, however, is that they did not quite start on the right foot. With averted eyes and being at opposite ends in every discussion, Asha Parekh and Dharmendra had the producer of their first film together, Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966), in quite a pickle.
In a conversation with NDTV on the occasion of Dharmendra's 90th birth anniversary, Asha Parekh revisits memories with her co-star of many films, stating how they were both "frightened" of each other.
"The Girls Were Crazy About Him"
Asha Parekh, as her autobiography was rightly titled, was the Hit Girl, as she reigned supreme in the '60s and '70s. From Rajesh Khanna and Dev Anand to Dharmendra and Shammi Kapoor, she was unstoppable with the surge of commercial hits she delivered with the leading heroes of that era.
While tales about women being obsessed with Rajesh Khanna have been well known, with his co-stars recalling shoots being cancelled because of the humdrum, Dharmendra too had women flocking around him.
Dharmendra
As Asha Parekh recalls, "The girls were all crazy about him. Dharmendra ji, Dev Anand ji, Rajesh Khanna - these were the three people whom I used to see being thronged by a lot of people."
And would Dharmendra get all awkward with the ocean of female attention?
"Oh yes! He would feel really shy," says Asha Parekh.
"Doing A Romantic Scene Was A Little Difficult"
The period was the 1960s; films were different, as was filmmaking. BTS moments would not pop up on social media feeds; stories of what went on behind the camera only emerged when co-stars indulged in heart-to-heart conversations.
Asha Parekh smiles wistfully as she says, "Dharmendra ji was very innocent, but he had a naughty streak in him."
She recalls a particular incident where she left the producer worrying about their onscreen romantic scenes, for they would not see eye to eye on anything.
The actress shares, "I remember when we met for the first time, he (Dharmendra) was frightened of me and I was frightened of him, so doing a romantic scene was a little difficult. We were in Darjeeling, and in the morning the producer said, 'Could I come with you, Asha? We're going to the location.' So I said, 'Yes, come.' He came and sat down in the jeep, and he said, 'I'm a little worried. The way you both are behaving, one goes right, one goes left. How are we going to shoot?' I said, 'But I don't do anything of that sort. Why are you telling me?' So he said, 'But it's a very awkward situation because it's a month-long shoot and if you are both going to behave like this, it's going to be bad.'"
Laughing in remembrance of those bygone days, the actress says she reassured the producer that everything would be fine; as soon as the camera turned on, they would become lovey-dovey and all would be well.
"I Just Told The Producer I Will Not Be On Set If He Is Drunk"
Among the many stories that surfaced over the years about Asha Parekh's first film with Dharmendra, Aaye Din Bahar Ke, one of the most hilarious ones was Dharmendra ji coming drunk on set.
The filming took place in Darjeeling, where the film crew would party all night and turn up on set the next day.
As a cover-up, Dharmendra would eat onions to mask the lingering smell of alcohol. Neither tactic worked as Asha Parekh would have none of it.
Asha Parekh and Dharmendra in Aaye Din Bahar Ke
The actress says, "I just told the producer that I will not be on set if he's drunk. He would also get very nervous when there was a song to be shot."
On Being In Touch With Dharmendra Over The Years
Speaking about staying in touch with Dharmendra, the actress shares, "It was very kind of him to come to the launch of my book, The Hit Girl. We were not very much in touch, but we did two reality shows together. And once I met him at Aamir Khan's daughter's wedding."
Dharmendra and Asha Parekh in Indian Idol
"Yes, I Was A Prankster"
Asha Parekh had quite a reputation for being a prankster on set. An effervescent energy and always on the brink of pulling a trick, she reiterates, "I wasn't naughty, I was just on the quieter side."
Sharing another anecdote from the sets of another romantic musical with Dharmendra, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, the actress narrates how they left the crowd, who had come to watch a song they were filming with a rain sequence, fuming.
The actress recalls, "I remember there was a song in Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke that had to have rainfall in it. They had brought the fire brigade people to sprinkle water and make it rain. It was quite thrilling, and this was the first time the fire brigade had been called to do this. So all the producers, their wives and friends, they all came to see the shooting."
Dharmendra and Asha Parekh in Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke
She continues, "Just to see how the water was being sprayed on us and how things were going. So they had come in all their chiffons. I went up to Dharam ji and said, 'Let's pour water on them also. They've come to see, and we are all getting wet. So let us drench them also.'"
She laughs as she remembers Dharmendra's appalling reaction to it and how he dismissed the idea. But nevertheless, the prank was carried out, and the crowd with their chiffons was completely drenched.
"They were very upset and had to leave. But it was fun," chuckles Asha Parekh.
Those were the days, and such are the memories that bring a smile to our faces today, mingled with melancholia. The death of Dharmendra leaves behind a majestic void in the Hindi film industry, and Asha Parekh concurs. But it's the everlasting legacy of more than 300 films of Dharmendra that still makes the heart sing.
"We will miss him. I wish him a very happy birthday," signs off Asha Parekh, sending a final birthday wish to him who added a spark to their whirlwind romance on the celluloid.
