'Dharmendra amar rahe': Chandan Roy Sanyal honours the legend and revisits memories from 'Paari'

Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal penned a heartfelt note as he remembered late star Dharmendra and his maiden 1966 Bangla film 'Paari', which was later adapted in Hindi as Anokha Milan, which was released in 1972.

Chandan took to Instagram, where he penned a long and a thoughtful note for Dharmendra, who passed away aged 89 on November 24.

Remembering a Hindi Cinema icon

He wrote: "Waqt laga likhne mein... jab sab thamm jaaye, ruk jaaye. Dharam ji. Hero - woh hero jo is desh ki Hindi cinema ki pehchaan hai. Woh alaukik sitaara jinhone 6 dashakon tak ek chhatr raaj kiya logon ke dil mein. Woh sitaara jo Hindi cinema ka paryaya-vaachi ban gaye."

"(It took me time to write these words... when everything felt still, when the heart just stopped. Dharam ji... a true hero - the kind of hero who became the very identity of Hindi cinema. That divine, alaukik sitara who ruled the hearts of audiences for six decades. A star who became a synonym for Hindi films itself.)"

The actor talked about getting the opportunity to work with Dharmendra in the 2011 film 'Tell Me O Kkhuda'.

"Unse milne ka, unhe jaanne ka saubhagya mila... unke saath ek film mein kaam karne ka bhi mauka mila. Unko shraddhanjali. Aane waali sadiyon tak kitne actors unpar prabhavit honge. Unka janam is dharti pe ek kalakaar banke aana hum sabke liye ek vardaan tha. Deol parivaar ko mera naman. In shabdon ko baandhne mein sach mein waqt laga. Dharmendra amar rahe. Long live Dharmendra. Adios."

"(I had the good fortune to meet him, to know him... and even got the chance to work with him in one film. Today, I offer my shraddhanjali. For centuries to come, countless actors will continue to be inspired by him. His very birth on this earth as an artist was a blessing for all of us. My salaam to the entire Deol parivaar. It took time to string these words together - Dharmendra amar rahe. Long live Dharmendra. Adios.)"

The actor looked back at the era of the Bengali film 'Paari' directed by Jagganath Chatterjee, based on a story by Jarasandha. It stars Dharmendra in his first Bengali film and Pronoti Ghosh, with Dilip Kumar in a guest appearance as a jailor in Andaman and was successful.This was the first movie in which Dilip Kumar and Dharmendra appeared together.

"Ek film mili - Bangla 'Paari' (1966), jiska Hindi version bana 'Anokha Milan' (1972). Kya log the... kya kalakaar the... Dilip, Dharam, aur unke zamaane ke saare artists - cinema ke liye hamesha tatpar."

("There was one film he got: the Bangla classic Pari (1966), whose Hindi version became Anokha Milan in 1972. What people they were... what kalakaars... Dilip saab, Dharam ji, and all the artists of that era - always ready for cinema, always devoted.")

Celebrating 'Paari' and Dharmendra's legacy

Talking about his favourite movie of Dharmendra, Chandan said: "Meri unki sabse favourite film hai Pratiggya. Bachpan mein dekhi thi - itna hansa, itna hansa... OMG! Dhanyavaad Dharam ji - aapki filmein, aapke gaane hamesha aapki yaad dilaayenge. Yeh gaana unki Bangla film Pari ka hai. So long... shat shat naman."

("My most favourite film of his is Pratiggya. I watched it in childhood - I laughed so much, so much... OMG! Thank you, Dharam ji. Your films, your songs will always bring your yaad back to us. This song is from his Bangla film Pari. So long... shat shat naman.)"