Mumbai: The passing of legendary actor Dharmendra, the 'He-Man' of Indian Cinema, has left a void in Bollywood, but it also brings into focus the deep, personal bonds he forged within the industry, none more heartfelt than his relationship with superstar Salman Khan.

While Dharmendra's professional achievements are monumental, his personal affections for Salman Khan shine as a rare example of family-like ties in Bollywood.

The veteran actor openly embraced Salman as his own, a sentiment that went far beyond mere co-star courtesy.

During a past interaction at the trailer launch of Yamla Pagla Deewana, Dharmendra expressed his pure fondness, stating, "Main toh kahunga, yeh mera beta hai. Mere teen bete hain — teeno jazbaati hain, khuddar hain, transparent hain (I would say this is my son. I have three sons — all three are emotional, self-respecting, and transparent). But yeh thoda mujhpe zyaada gaya hai, is liye kyuki yeh rangeen mizaj hai (But he is more like me, because he is more fun-loving and cheerful)."

Dharmendra once shared a touching, nostalgic anecdote from their earliest interactions, revealing Salman’s courage and shy innocence long before he achieved massive stardom, "Once I was shooting a film near a lake, and that was the first time I saw Salman. He was quite shy then — and even today, he is very shy. While shooting, the camera dropped into the lake and he dived in to take it out. At that time, I thought, ‘He’s quite courageous too.’...He is an emotional man. If you aren’t a good person, you are nothing.”

This incident perfectly captured the transparency and emotional core that Dharmendra valued and saw in Salman, qualities he mirrored in his own sons.

The depth of this mutual respect was powerfully demonstrated when Salman Khan spoke shortly after Dharmendra had been discharged from the hospital earlier this month.

Praising Dharmendra as his ultimate inspiration in physical fitness and persona, Salman offered a deeply emotional tribute, "Mere aane se pehle ek hi shaks the woh hain Dharam ji (Before me, there was just one person and he was Dharam ji)."

Turning personal, the superstar added: "He is my father, that's the end. I love that man."

Dharmendra and Salman's professional collaborations included the 1998 hit Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya and the song "Rafta Rafta" from Yamla Pagla Deewana.