Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema’s most beloved icons, passed away in Mumbai on November 24 at the age of 89. Known for his illustrious 65-year career and more than 300 film appearances, the actor often spoke openly about his unwavering admiration for legendary star Dilip Kumar. One such remarkable story — involving Dharmendra secretly entering Dilip Kumar’s home as a young fan — remains one of the most endearing anecdotes of his life.
Dharmendra’s Unbelievable Visit to Dilip Kumar’s House
The incident dates back to 1952, long before Dharmendra became a household name. In the Reminiscences section of Dilip Kumar’s autobiography The Substance and the Shadow, Dharmendra recounts this unforgettable moment.
He recalled that during his second year of college, he travelled from Ludhiana to Bombay, deeply moved by Dilip Kumar’s performance in Shaheed. “For reasons I couldn’t explain, I started imagining that Dilip Kumar and I were siblings,” Dharmendra wrote.
Driven purely by admiration, he visited the actor’s home in Pali Mala, Bandra. With no security or gatekeeper stopping him, Dharmendra simply walked through the main door and climbed the staircase that led to a bedroom.
What he saw left him speechless — a fair, handsome young man sleeping on a couch. Suddenly, Dilip Kumar sensed someone’s presence and woke up, startled to see a stranger standing at his door.
Dharmendra remembered freezing in shock. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was my idol standing right in front of me,” he wrote. When Dilip Kumar called out loudly for a servant, a frightened Dharmendra bolted down the stairs and ran straight out of the house.
The Realisation That Followed
Later, as he sat in a nearby café drinking cold lassi, Dharmendra realised how impulsive and reckless his behaviour had been. Coming from a Punjabi village where homes were always open and neighbours walked in freely, he had assumed the same would apply in Bombay. “But this was the home of the star Dilip Kumar,” he reflected.
Still, he felt joy knowing that his idol lived simply, much like people did back home.
Meeting Dilip Kumar for the First Time — Properly
Six years later, Dharmendra returned to Bombay to participate in the United Producers and Filmfare Talent Contest, which would eventually launch his career.
This time, he met Dilip Kumar respectfully — through his sister Farida. Invited to their home at 48 Pali Hill, Dharmendra said “time stood still” when Dilip Kumar walked out to greet him and offered him a seat beside him on the lawn.
The house, he noted, was different from the one he had entered years earlier.
Dilip Kumar spoke to him affectionately, like an elder brother, sharing his own struggles of entering films as an outsider. Dharmendra was mesmerized listening to him speak in English, Punjabi, and Urdu. “I couldn’t believe I was sitting beside him and he was talking to me,” he recalled.
Before Dharmendra left, Dilip Kumar noticed the cold weather and handed him a sweater from his cupboard. He even hugged Dharmendra and walked him to the gate — a moment the actor said he cherished forever.
A Bond Dharmendra Treasured for Life
Dharmendra shared that over the years, he met Dilip Kumar many times. Yet, out of respect, he never approached the thespian first — it was always Dilip Kumar who came toward him and held his hand warmly.
“I may not meet him for months, but I think of him every day,” Dharmendra once said, adding that the only photograph in his home apart from those of his parents and sons was that of Dilip Kumar.
Dharmendra’s passing marks the end of an era, but stories like these continue to reveal the humility, innocence, and heartfelt admiration that defined his journey — and his lasting bond with Dilip Kumar.