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Honey Irani fondly remembers Dharmendra’s protective nature: ‘He was scared for me, so protective of me…’
Dharmendra’s death has triggered a wave of tributes across the industry, but for Honey Irani, the loss is deeply personal
Veteran actor Dharmendra’s passing on Monday at the age of 89 has left the Hindi film industry in mourning. Rumours around his health had intensified earlier yesterday (November 24) after an ambulance, flanked by heavy security, arrived at his Juhu residence. Later, his family, as well as many stalwarts of the industry like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan were spotted at Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai.
As tributes pour in from across the country, many are remembering not just the star he was, but the warmth, gentleness and protectiveness that defined him off-screen. One of the voices recalling that side of him is ace screenwriter Honey Irani. Acclaimed writer and former child star, who was once married to Javed Akhtar and is the mother to filmmakers Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, Honey worked with Dharmendra in four films during her early years
“Iss bachchi ko kuchh ho jayega…”
While some of Honey's projects never released, others like Rajnish Bahl’s Soorat Aur Seerat (1962) earned appreciation. But the memory that stays with her is from a shoot involving a dangerous stunt sequence.
“The director wanted to shoot us walking between two running trains! That was probably one of the first time such a sequence had been attempted in India,” Honey said to The Indian Express. Dharmendra, who played a blind man in the film, refused the director’s instruction to wear dark glasses during the sequence because he feared it would make the stunt unsafe.
“‘Iss bachchi ko kuchh ho jayega (This girl may get harmed),’ he said and refused to wear the dark glasses. He was scared for me, so protective of me. Although the director instructed something else, he just took me in my lap and did the sequence. That protective feeling… I can’t even explain what that means to me even till now,” she says.
“Mera beta hai tu..”
Honey also remembers the bond they shared long after those films were completed. Every time Dharmendra bumped into her, she says he would joke, “Mera beta hai tu (You’re my son).” He would laugh about how she played his daughter in some films, and his son in others: “Beta hai ya beti, samajh hi nahi aata (Can’t make out if you were my son or daughter).”
Their paths crossed again years later, when 19-year-old Honey worked on Seeta Aur Geeta, co-starring Hema Malini and co-written by her future husband Javed Akhtar. The two appeared together only in the climax, but Dharmendra was stunned to see how much she had grown. “‘Arey, tu itni badi ho gayi! Pehle toh shorts pehen ke aati thi. Ab kya wahan sari pehen ke khadi hai! (Oh, you’ve grown up so fast! You used to wear shorts earlier. And here you are, standing in a sari now!),’” Honey recalls, laughing as she remembers his reaction.
Though Honey never worked with him again after transitioning into screenwriting in the 1990s, Dharmendra starred in several films scripted by Javed, including the all-time blockbuster Sholay (1975) and Manmohan Desai’s Chacha Bhatija (1977).
Honey reflects on his legendary career
Reflecting on his career, Honey says his range was far greater than people give him credit for. “His versatility is very underrated. He could do all those commercial potboilers like Sholay, but could also pull off those Hrishikesh Mukherjee films like Satyakam (1969).” She adds that beyond the craft, it was his nature that made him unforgettable. “He was also one of the kindest, nicest, and most humble people she came across in the Hindi film industry. I can’t underline how important that is. It’s a huge loss not only to the film industry, but to humanity,” she says.
Honey last met Dharmendra around two to three years ago. She remembers him being full of enthusiasm, excited about returning to work in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023) and Ikkis (2025). “He was still raring to go… But that warmth and kindness were still intact. We’d miss him terribly,” she says.
Her stories leave one thing clear: long before he became a legend, Dharmendra was a kind man, and that's the part we will miss the most.
