Dharmendra once entered Dilip Kumar’s home out of pure admiration; ‘I climbed up the stairs and stood at the entrance to one of the rooms’

Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema’s most beloved actors, is known for his charm, humility, and memorable roles in films like ‘Sholay’, ‘Chupke Chupke’, and ‘Satyakam’. But long before he became a superstar, he was just another young man in Punjab, idolizing one name, Dilip Kumar.

The day Dharmendra entered Dilip Kumar’s home uninvited

When he first arrived in Bombay, he couldn’t resist visiting the home of his screen idol. Without realizing the gravity of his actions, he walked straight into Dilip Kumar’s house In the Dilip Kumar’s autobiography, ‘Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow’, He recalled, “I wasn’t stopped at the gate by anybody, and so I walked right into the house through the main door. There was a wooden staircase leading to a bedroom upstairs.

Again, nobody stopped me, so I climbed up the stairs and stood at the entrance to one of the rooms.”

Dilip Kumar’s reaction to the unexpected visitor

When Dilip Kumar sensed someone’s presence, he woke up and looked directly at the nervous young man. Dharmendra recalled, “He sat up and stared at me, quite taken aback to see a total stranger gazing admiringly at him.” Panic struck, “He called out to a servant loudly. Now scared, I ran down the staircase and bolted out of the house looking behind to see if I was being followed,”.

A heartfelt reunion and a lasting memory

Six years after that impulsive incident, Dharmendra’s life had changed, he stepped into the film industry. During an event, he saw Dilip Kumar’s sister and hurried to speak with her “I saw her leaving and I ran after her requesting her to meet Dilip Sahab. I told her I firmly believed that he was my brother too,” he said.When Dharmendra finally met Dilip Kumar, it was a moment of pure grace. The veteran actor welcomed him warmly, even gifting him a sweater after noticing he was feeling cold. Dharmendra wrote, “He hugged me and saw me off at the gate. I can still feel the warmth of that hug because it was genuine.” Though the two never shared screen space, the bond between them was special.