IFFI to pay tribute to Dharmendra at closing ceremony

The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is organising a special tribute for actor Dharmendra at its closing ceremony later this week, an official said.

The veteran actor passed away on Monday morning at his residence in suburban Mumbai. He was 89.

“We received the unfortunate news of Dharam ji’s passing away on Monday. A minute’s silence was observed at the closing ceremony of the Film Bazaar as a mark of respect. “We will also be paying homage to the beloved legend during the festival’s closing ceremony,” Prakash Magdum, Managing Director, NFDC, told PTI. A screening of “Sholay” in a 4K restored version was scheduled on November 26 at IFFI but has been cancelled with organisers citing technical reasons.

The festival will also host a session, titled, ‘50 years of Sholay: Why ‘Sholay’ Still Resonates?’ will be held on November 27 with the movie’s director Ramesh Sippy. The bike from “Sholay” has been put on display in a glass enclosure at the INOX theatre in Panjim since the first day of the festival, but it has now become a tribute of sorts for Dharmendra, who shot the hit song Yeh Dosti with Amitabh Bachchan on the bike.

“The motorcycle displayed on the festival premises was introduced as a special attraction this year to mark the celebration for 50 years of ‘Sholay’. But it has also become a tribute to Dharmendra ji now, as visitors can’t help but recall the iconic song Yeh Dosti and his unforgettable presence when they see it,” Magdum said.

The bike was put on display to celebrate 50 years of the Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra-starrer film where they play Jai-Veeru. The two friends ride around on the motorcycle with a sidecar while singing ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge’.

The five-minute song sequence, which was shot on this bike took 21 days to shoot. Read the information that is displayed alongside the bike.

“BSA WM20 was part of BSA’s massive wartime contribution to Britain’s war effort, 1937 was its first year of production that would last until the late 1950s. The ‘W’ in the model designation signifies that it was specifically designed to be a military motorcycle,” the display further read.