Late actor Dharmendra in an old interview with senior journalist and news anchor Rajdeep Sardesai for India Today. In a 2017 conversation, he also humorously replied about winning an arm-wrestling match against Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan.

Talking about people’s love for him, Dharmendra said, “People have always loved me, even women have loved me a lot. I don’t consider acting as a mere profession, it is my love. The audience doesn’t consider me an actor, they feel I am their own, like a family member.”

He gave a funny answer even when called a villain dogs (Dogs) said in his old movies, “The villains are worse, the dogs are still loyal.” When asked about the difference between actor-directors of yesteryear and today, Dharmendra asserted, “In those days, people had time, there was stability in their lives, respect and honor for brothers, sisters and mother. But in today’s time, realistic films are being made. I am very happy with it. But people are becoming a little distant from their culture. In their desire to move forward, they are forgetting their roots.”

The late actor praised Ranveer Singh’s work in ‘Bajirao Mastani’ but also expressed his displeasure over the film industry becoming a market. He shared, “No one has the aura and stature like Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand. These days artistes will go anywhere to sing and dance, money is everything.”