Babu Antony remembers Dharmendra; shares 'Mafia' set pic; calls it 'A million dollar moment'

Malayalam actor Babu Antony has shared a nostalgic throwback photo with Bollywood veteran Dharmendra, recalling their time together on the sets of the 1996 Hindi film 'Mafia'. Taking to social media, Babu posted the picture along with a heartfelt note, writing, “A million dollar moment!! It was such a great experience working with the legend, the romantic, action icon of Indian films.

Wishing a speedy recovery to Dharamji.”The actor’s post comes soon after reports confirmed that Dharmendra, 89, was discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday. The veteran star had been admitted on October 31 after complaining of breathlessness.

From Malayalam classic to Bollywood action hit

The film 'Mafia' holds a special place in Babu Antony’s career. The 1996 Hindi version, directed by Aziz Sejawal and starring Dharmendra, Aditya Pancholi, Somy Ali, and Gulshan Grover, was an unofficial remake of the 1993 Malayalam action thriller 'Mafia'.

The Malayalam original, directed by Shaji Kailas and written by Renji Panicker, featured Suresh Gopi in the lead along with Babu Antony, Vikram, and Tiger Prabhakar. Released on Diwali day, November 13, 1993, the film became a major success at the box office. 'Mafia' is surely one of the best action drama ever made in Malayalam and it's impact was mainly due to it's intense narrative and performances along with powerpacked dialogues - a trait we have all seen in Shaji Kailas' movies.

In the Hindi adaptation, Dharmendra played a key role. The film was praised for its gripping action sequences and ensemble performances, eventually being declared a hit. Babu Antony was also part of the Hindi remake as he played the role of Chhote in the film.Babu Antony had earlier shared the same photograph in 2018, captioning it, “With legend Bollywood actor Mr. Dharmendra, on the sets of Mafia, the remake of a Malayalam film with the same title.”