Earlier this week, celebrated lyricist Javed Akhtar reignited Bollywood lore by claiming that Dharmendra had initially turned down the 1973 classic Zanjeer, paving the way for Amitabh Bachchan’s breakout “angry young man” role. Now, in an exclusive chat with Instant Bollywood, Dharmendra’s son Bobby Deol has shared the heartfelt family drama that led his father to walk away from what became one of Hindi cinema’s biggest hits.
Bobby began by reminding everyone of Dharmendra’s compassionate nature. “There was a period when my aunt’s husband was struggling financially,” he recalled. “Dad didn’t hesitate—he quietly lent him around ₹25 lakhs in the 1960s, which was a massive sum back then. To help repay that favor, he agreed to star in the film Satyakam.” This anecdote, Bobby noted, exemplifies how his father has always prioritized kin over career calculations.
As for Zanjeer, Bobby explained that Dharmendra was genuinely interested when Prakash Mehra first offered him the part of Inspector Vijay Khanna. But family loyalty intervened. “We have a cousin sister who’d had a serious falling-out with Prakash Mehra,” Bobby revealed. “She burst into Dad’s house one day, tears in her eyes, and made him promise—on her life—that he wouldn’t take the role. She swore if he accepted that film, he’d only see her dead body. How could he refuse her?” Bound by his word, Dharmendra stepped aside, and Mehra ultimately cast the then-rising Amitabh Bachchan.
This isn’t the first time Dharmendra has commented on Akhtar’s version of events. In 2022, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to gently counter the narrative:
“Javed, kaise ho… dikhave ki iss duniya mein haqeeqaten dabi rah jaati hain. Jeetey raho… Dilon ko gudgudana khoob aata hai… kaash sar chad ke bolne ka jaadu bhi seekh liya hota.”
Meanwhile, Bobby Deol is gearing up for two major releases this year. On 9 May, he’ll appear alongside South superstar Pawan Kalyan in the period adventure Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 – Sword vs Spirit. Later, he reunites with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari for the high-octane thriller Alpha, set to thrill audiences in December.
Through this behind-the-scenes revelation, Bobby has shed light on a pivotal “what-if” moment in Bollywood history—one shaped by family bonds and unwavering loyalty rather than box-office considerations.
