When Indian cinema lost one of its brightest stars in November 2025, DharmendraIt felt like someone had stolen the heart and soul of the industry. As 2026 began with the film Ikkis, in which he appeared on screen for the last time, the industry and fans felt a sense of sentimentality. In the war drama, Dharmendra had many scenes with the actor from The Family Man 3. Jaideep Ahlawat. In an exclusive chat with us, Jaideep shared all the late star’s fond memories from the sets and stressed that he was lucky to share the screen space with the legend.
Dharmendra’s downfall and the emotional impact
“I think across the country, all cinema lovers, there wasn’t a soul who didn’t feel bad,” Jaideep said while talking about Dharmendra’s death. “I felt a void when I was promoting Ikkis. I wished he was in all these promotions. He should have been with us to see this film and his work,” he added, remembering the late star.“So that’s a hollow hypothetical thought anyway. It’s fate, there’s nothing you can do about it,” said the actor.
Jaideep Ahlawat’s emotional account of his time with Dharmendra on the sets of ‘Ikkis’
“You feel lucky to be part of a project where there is a legend,” he said at the beginning of the conversation. “I had a lot of fun working with him. When I’m with him, I never feel like you’re working with such a big legend. He makes you feel like family,” the actor continued, adding, “He was constantly cracking good jokes, doing little one-liners, reciting very beautiful poems and telling stories.”“Working with him gave me a great feeling,” said Jaideep.
What’s next for Jaideep Ahlawat?
“Every actor wants to be a part of a good story, play good characters, keep surprising themselves and not get bored with the art form. So the aim is to keep working, keep doing good work and keep surprising myself,” Jaideep said, shedding light on his dreams as an actor.“You always have to make an effort. It’s not necessary to do it every time. To get the chance to work with good people, to get the chance to be part of good stories,” the “Ikkis” star concluded.
