Jat Yamla Pagla

Circa 1975 Anand Bakshi based his lyrics on the real life persona of an actor who played the reel life hero of the superhit film, Pratiggya. 36 years down the line, these lines from that timeless song were adapted into a series of three superhit films which starred the same actor; this time with both his sons.

- MAJOR AKHILL PRATAP

Cut To 1976.

It was a hot summer afternoon in Jaipur when my mother broke the hot news to my granny. The hottest new theatre had opened up with the new film of the hottest actor of Indian Cinema. The Cinema Hall, Raj Mandir and the film, Charas, had arrived (pun intended). The royal Raj Mandir went on to become a historical landmark of the pink city, but despite being a superhit, Charas has been forgotten. Inaugurated by the then CM of Rajasthan, why would this iconic theatre pick up its debut film, which did not feature the biggest star of those times - Amitabh Bachchan? The reason was simple. Charas featured an actor who was loved, irrespective of his hits or flops and whose connection with his fans was so deep that even the hurricane called Rajesh Khanna could not affect his popularity.

Who else could that Jat Yamla Pagla be other than the actor of Indian cinema fondly called Garam Dharam?

There won't be another Dharmendra in Indian cinema ever.