A troll who randomly made a disparaging comment on a tweet from Dharmendra was likely not expecting a reply from the actor himself – but he got one anyway. On Wednesday, Dharmendra shared the first look of himself as Sufi saint Salim Chishti from his upcoming show Taj: Divided By Blood. The 87-year-old star shared two pictures of himself in beard and turban, announced his role and asked fans for their good wishes. Most obliged, except for a handful, one of which wrote, "Why is he behaving like a struggling actor?" Dharmendra's response hit back with the weight of 87 years of wisdom.
"Life is always a beautiful struggle," Dharmendra tweeted back, "You, me, everyone is struggling. Resting means end of your loving dreams, end of your beautiful journey."
In the comments, thread, others praised Dharmendra for his measured response. "Your humility makes you special, Dharamji," read one comment. "What a beautiful and humble way to tackle a taunt," read another.
Dharmendra's original tweet read: "Friends, I'm playing Shaikh Salim Chishti, a sufi saint, in film Taaj (sic). A small but an important role. Need your good wishes." He replied to many of the comments posted in the thread, including the one from the troll.
Read the exchange here:
Taj: Divided By Blood boasts a formidable cast that includes Naseeruddin Shah as Akbar and Aditi Rao Hydari as Anarkali. It is expected to release this year.
Dharmendra's film career spans six decades and he has appeared in over 300 movies, among them Sholay, Jugnu, Phool Aur Patthar, Seeta Aur Geeta and the cult film Shalimar. Dharmendra has two films out this year – Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and Apne 2 which co-stars his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol.