Mumbai, India – Actor Salim Siddiqui is currently getting praise for his work in Dhurandhar 2. But recently, he opened up about a deep personal loss. He spoke about the death of legendary actor Dharmendra. Siddiqui says the loss felt like losing his own father.
In a recent podcast, Siddiqui got emotional. He spoke about his love for Dharmendra. He admires Dharmendra’s son, Sunny Deol, as well. Siddiqui never got to meet the legendary star in person. Still, he feels Dharmendra’s blessings helped him succeed in life.
A Fan Since Childhood
Salim Siddiqui says he grew up watching Dharmendra’s films. He has been the actor’s biggest fan since he was a child. He tried many times to meet his hero. Whenever he came to Mumbai for work, he asked people to arrange a meeting. Sadly, that meeting never happened.
“I never met him,” Siddiqui said. “But I’ve been his biggest fan since childhood. Through social media, I started interacting with him. I would write to him, and he would reply with blessings.” He recalls Dharmendra writing to him, “Live long, you will be very successful.”
A Loss That Felt Personal
When Dharmendra passed away, Siddiqui was shocked. He admits that he kept hoping the actor would recover. He tried to console himself with false hope. But the news was devastating.
Siddiqui went through a similar pain during the Covid crisis. He lost his own father then. He says the loss of Dharmendra felt exactly like that day.
“It was a kind of loss I can compare only to losing my father during Covid,” Siddiqui shared. “It didn’t feel any less than that.” He believes Dharmendra is watching him from heaven. He wants to make the late star proud.
A Dream to Meet Sunny Deol
Since Siddiqui could not meet Dharmendra, he tried to reach his son. He gave many auditions for films starring Sunny Deol. These films include Chup and 1947 Lahore. He had a simple plan. He wanted to get selected. Then, he would ask Sunny Deol for just one favor.
“I thought if I get selected, I’ll just make one request,” Siddiqui remembered. “Please introduce me to Dharam sir once. That was the only wish.”
He even agreed to play the role of a dead body. The role was in a film called Chup. When he heard it was a film with Sunny Deol, he said yes immediately.
Sunny Deol is Carrying the Legacy
Salim Siddiqui has a lot of respect for Sunny Deol. He watches Sunny’s career closely. He loved Gadar and all his new projects. Siddiqui believes Sunny is doing a great job. He is keeping the family name alive.
“When I see him, I feel like I’m seeing Dharam sir in him,” Siddiqui said. “He is carrying forward that legacy beautifully.” He called the Deol family “pure-hearted” and “emotional.”
Siddiqui ended with a promise. He said he feels a responsibility now. He must work hard and make Dharmendra proud. He knows the legend is no more. But he believes the blessings will always stay with him.
