Jaideep Ahlawat fondly remembers his experience working with the late veteran actor Dharmendra on the set of Sriram Raghavan's upcoming war drama, "Ikkis". Speaking at a session during Agenda Aaj Tak, Ahlawat described the experience of sharing screen space with Dharmendra as one he would forever cherish. "Ikkis" is slated to be released on December 25th and is expected to be Dharmendra's last film.
Ahlawat expressed that Dharmendra, who passed away last month at the age of 89, had a "childlike, loving and jovial" presence on set. He plays a key role in the biographical film, which tells the life story of Param Vir Chakra awardee Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. Ahlawat said he was excited to work with Dharmendra, who was already cast when he joined the project, noting his father was a huge fan. According to Ahlawat, his father even met Dharmendra during the shoot and acted like a "fanboy," something Ahlawat had never witnessed before.
Ahlawat recalled the transformative effect Dharmendra had on the filming environment. He described the veteran actor as a legendary figure with a childlike quality, "innocent, loving, and jovial". Ahlawat feels fortunate to have shared many scenes with him in the movie, stating that the memories from the shoot are a treasure he will hold for a lifetime. He also expressed that having the chance to share the screen with Dharmendra was a historic moment in his life.
Following Dharmendra’s death on November 24th, Ahlawat shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, expressing his gratitude for the love he received from the veteran actor during their time together. He wrote that he would remember the love for a lifetime and that the world would miss the "Jatt Yamla Pagla Deewana". Ahlawat also shared behind-the-scenes photos from the set of "Ikkis".
"Ikkis" stars Agastya Nanda as Arun Khetarpal. Dharmendra plays Brigadier ML Khetarpal, Arun Khetarpal's father, while Ahlawat portrays a Pakistani Army officer. Ahlawat, who was recently seen in "The Family Man" season 3, expressed his excitement and honor to have worked with Dharmendra in "Ikkis". He considered it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and cherished the memories shared with the superstar.
