Dharmendra at Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani success meet.
The team of Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani united to celebrate the film's success in Mumbai. At the success meet, it was however veteran actor Dharmendra, who completely bowled over the audience with his hilarious reply to a question about his on screen kiss with Shabani Azmi in the Karan Johar directorial Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. On being asked about the viral kiss, the Sholay actor simply said, "yeh toh mere baayen haath ka khel hain (this is such an easy task for me)," making the audience and even his co-stars break into laughter.
The veteran actor was full of surprises as he continued with his witty remarks as he went on to describe his experience as "bohut maza aaya (had a great deal of fun)," and "Jab jab mauka milta hai, chakka maar deta hoon (whenever I get an opportunity, I make full use of it)."
Besides narrating about his time on the set, Dharmendra also had some kind words to say about his director Karan Johar and co-star Ranveer Singh. He said, “Captain accha ho to team khub khelti hai (If the captain is good, the team is bound to play well. When I heard the story, I felt this was something new. I enjoyed every bit of working with this unit."
About Ranveer Singh, who played the actor's grandson in the film, he said "Ranveer is a very good actor and a very emotional person."
This is how the star cast of Rocky Aur Rani attended the success meet:
A few days earlier, in an interview with News18, Dharmendra had opened up about the scene in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
The veteran actor told News18, “I am hearing that Shabana and I have surprised the audience with the kissing scene, and at the same time they have even applauded it. I think people weren't expecting it and it came very suddenly which is why it created an impact. The last time I did a kissing scene was in Life In A Metro with Nafisa Ali and at that time too people had appreciated it."
Dharmendra added, “When Karan [Johar] narrated the scene to us, I did not get excited. We [Shabana Azmi, Karan Johar and Dharmendra] understood it and I realised that it was something that the film required and wasn't forcefully put in and I said I will do it. Also, I believe there is no age for romance. Age is just a number and two people irrespective of age will show their love for each other by kissing. Shabana [Azmi] and I both did not feel any kind of awkwardness while doing it.”
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani's dialogue and co-screenplay writer Ishita Moitra has also shared her thoughts on Shabana Azmi and Dharmendra's kiss scene in the film. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Ishita said that the kiss was “always there in the script.”
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was released on July 28. The film marked Karan Johar's return as a director after seven years.