New Delhi: With a career spanning over six decades, Dharmendra leaves behind an unmatched legacy. From Veeru in Sholay to Shakti Singh in Phool Aur Patthar to Dharam in Dharam Veer, his characters are an inseparable part of popular culture. While Dharmendra’s cinematic journey remains unmatched, however, the same cannot be said of his short political stint.
“He had this ‘deewangi’ among local people because of his iconic actor status. People would die just to have a picture with him, and during his campaigning, he would pose for hundreds of pictures,” recalled Bikaner-based senior journalist Laxman Raghav, who had seen the Bollywood star campaign in the city during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket.
Dharmendra’s entry into politics came in 2004, when he joined the BJP. The actor defeated veteran Congress leader Rameshwar Lal Dudi.
Notably, Dudi passed away last month on 4 October.
Dharmendra’s promises, from building a film studio to transforming Bikaner into a vibrant cultural hub, resonated with the people.
During street-corner rallies, he often used dramatic lines.
“When you elect me, I will solve all your problems. I will stand on the top of the Houses of Parliament, and shout ‘People of Delhi (the Government of India), if you don’t listen to me, I will jump!’” said the actor in 2004, echoing his iconic feigned-suicide dialogue from Sholay.
“Dharmendra wasn’t a proper politician. He came from the world of Bollywood, hence, it was difficult for him to give time in comparison to other politicians,” BJP Rajasthan spokesperson Laxmikant Bhardwaj told ThePrint.
Bhardwaj described Dharmendra as someone who was approachable, attended weddings of local people, and enjoyed a massive popularity. And, he did enough work despite being a busy actor.
“People would attend his rallies in large numbers, which summed up his charm not only in Bikaner but in the whole of Rajasthan,” he added.
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Jat roots
For the BJP, the decision to back Dharmendra was driven by clear political calculations. As a Punjabi Jat, he was seen as far more effective in appealing to Jat voters.
Raghav explained that veteran Congress leader Dudi was unbeatable at the Bikaner seat. The BJP’s attempts to defeat him has been in vain.
“The BJP was looking for a popular star with Jat roots and Dharmendra filled the demand just right. He was a hardcore Jat. And, Dharmendra did it,” he said.
In Rajasthan, caste affiliations often influence electoral behavior, and the Jat community holds significant demographic and political weight.
Dharmendra reportedly had set his eye on a ministerial post, in case the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power. However, it was the UPA that surprised everyone, defeating the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA.
After the win, his time in Parliament was marked by limited participation and unfulfilled promises.
“Later, people regretted it. They were upset because he did little to no work. He hardly visited the city,” said Raghav.
In an April 2009 media report, it was said that the actor visited the city only twice in five years. By August 2006, a total of 168 Parliament sittings were held, of which Dharmendra attended only 51.
Bhardwaj, however, said that any MP at the time who didn’t come from the political field had a poor attendance in Parliament.
“Pointing fingers at Dharmendra alone wouldn’t be right. People from the creative field didn’t have the bandwidth to give that kind of time,” he added.
The actor served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 2004 to 2009. After completing his term in 2009, Dharmendra quit politics, saying that he would never contest elections again.
Dharmendra’s son and actor Sunny Deol later said in an interview that the veteran actor “didn’t like politics and regretted it”.
“Kaam main karta tha, credit koi aur le jaata tha (I did the work, someone else took the credit),” Dharmendra once said.
Despite staying away from politics, Dharmendra campaigned for his son Sunny Deol, who contested from Gurdaspur on a BJP ticket in 2019.
During that campaign, Dharmendra told reporters that he was present as a patriot alone. “I have come here not to deliver political speeches, as I am not a politician. I am a patriot, and I am here to have knowledge of local issues,” the actor said.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)