It's one of those wild, behind-the-scenes stories that sounds like a Bollywood film, except it's a reality. On the set of the 1975 classic Sholay, Dharmendra allegedly came up with a Rs. 20 bribe for the spot boys to "accidentally" ruin the shots any time he wanted to reshoot with Hema Malini. The actor, who was certainly already infatuated with his co-star, came up with multiple takes of a gun-training scene just to be near her.
According to several media reports, the incident took place while shooting the sequence where Dharmendra's character Veeru teaches Hema Malini's Basanti to fire a revolver. The actor allegedly signalled the crew to drop reflectors or misalign equipment whenever the director yelled "action." Every "mistake" meant another take with Hema Malini. Reports say Dharmendra spent around Rs 2,000 in total, paying Rs 20 per goof-up.
The mischievous tactic left the Sholay crew amused, and it even impressed Hema Malini, who reportedly found his antics endearing and not at all offensive. At the time, their off-screen romance was already the most talked-about relationship in the industry. This episode only added to the electric chemistry that made their on-screen pairing unforgettable.
What started as a struggle between Dharmendra and Hema Malini for a role soon developed into a loving relationship on the sets of film productions in the early 1970s, culminating in marriage in 1980, despite complications from Dharmendra's family. Even years later, the story of Dharmendra bribing spot boys ranks among Bollywood's famous love stories; it contains charm, fun, and scandalous moments.
And ever since, the story has become polarizing among fans: "Was Dharmendra romantic or just unprofessional?" Regardless of your stance, the story exemplifies the grand passion of Bollywood at a time when its stars lived immersed in the exaggerated realities of the films. Amid all the stories from Sholay, the story of Dharmendra bribing spot boys for Hema Malini remains one of the most spoken stories from the set and the movie.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.