{Photograph}: Type courtesy Dharmendra/Instagram

The one function Dharmendra needed to play in life was that of the septuagenarian lover from The Bridges of Madison County, the 1995 American movie based mostly on the 1992 bestselling novel of the identical title by Robert James Waller.

Clint Eastwood directed and starred reverse Meryl Streep on this autumnal love story. 

Now, Sriram Raghavan, who directs Dharmendra in his swan music, Ikkis, reveals that the veteran actor was eager on taking part in Clint Eastwood’s function.

“Dharamji stored telling me, ‘Let’s do The Bridges Of Madison Nation.’ I had my Clint Eastwood in Dharamji. However who would play Meryl Streep?” Sriram wonders aloud to Subhash Ok Jha.

“Dharamji doesn’t have a cameo in Ikkis; it is a full-fledged function,” Sriram continues.

“Regardless of his age, he was the life and breath on the units. We felt older than him. His enthusiasm was infectious. He would come on the units together with his traces absolutely memorised. He handled Amitabh Bachchansaab‘s grandson Agastya like his personal grandson. He had a lot love to provide. There was a lot extra he needed to do however future had different plans.”

Being Dharamji‘s ultimate launch, Ikkis has acquired an added poignancy.

“It’s the story of a younger soldier who dies at 21. We misplaced Dharamji whereas capturing. Fortunately, I used to be capable of present him 70 % of the movie. However I want he watched it solely.”

{Photograph} curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff