Dharmendra stood firm against the underworld; displayed same grit during knife attack and horse-stunt mishap

The veteran actor, remembered today Monday (November 24) after his passing at 89, leaves behind stories of rare courage that Bollywood still whispers about.

Why was Dharmendra unshakeable when the underworld ruled Bollywood?

In the 1980s and 1990s, Mumbai’s film industry lived under the shadow of the underworld. Extortion calls, threats and forced film funding were routine. Many actors bent under pressure, paid protection money or quietly worked in projects backed by gangsters. Dharmendra was the exception — a star who refused to bow.

Actor-director Satyajeet Puri, in an interview he had given sometime ago, recalled how Dharmendra and his family never showed fear. He shared that Dharmendra often warned that if anyone dared trouble him, people from his native village, Sahnewal, would arrive in truckloads to support him. This confidence alone kept gangsters from crossing his path.

How did he confront danger in public spaces?

Puri also described an incident from years earlier when a man attacked Dharmendra with a knife. Within seconds, the actor disarmed and pinned down the attacker. At a time when stars moved freely without bodyguards, Dharmendra’s swift reflexes and fearless presence made even hostile fans back off.

What happened during the dangerous horse-stunt on the set of Ghulami?

During the shooting of Ghulami in 1985, a scene required a horse to climb a marble staircase. A duplicate was ready, but Dharmendra insisted on doing the stunt himself. He asked only for the area to be cleaned. But the horse had urinated on the steps, which no one noticed, making them extremely slippery.

As the horse struggled midway, Dharmendra — who rode without using stirrups — slammed his leg against the marble and pushed both himself and the horse upright with immense thigh strength. Puri believed any other actor would have suffered serious injuries and months in hospital. Dharmendra walked away without even a scratch.

Shaken and furious, Dharmendra rushed around the set looking for the assistant responsible. He grabbed one man by the collar before the assistant slipped away. In that moment, even the crew stepped back, afraid to stand near him. He briefly turned towards the horse in anger but stopped himself.

When he cooled down, his first concern was the animal. He handed the horse’s owner Rs 200, worried it might have been injured during the fall. His instinct to protect the horse revealed a softer side beneath his fierce exterior.

What do these memories reveal about Dharmendra’s legacy?

From tackling attackers to performing dangerous stunts, Dharmendra earned a reputation for raw courage. In an industry often pushed to compromise, he stayed firm. His final screen appearance will be in Ikkis, where he plays the father of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal in a tribute to the 1971 war.

As India remembers him today, these stories return as reminders of a star who lived — and walked — fearlessly.