Dharmendra insisted on dancing at 3 am in his last film Ikkis; ‘Why can I not do this?’, recalls choreographer Vijay Ganguly |

Dharmendra’s final film Ikkis, which released just days ago, has sparked an emotional response from fans who are celebrating every moment the legendary actor spent on screen. Adding to the tributes, choreographer Vijay Ganguly has now shared a touching behind-the-scenes anecdote from the film, recalling Dharmendra’s unwavering dedication—even in the early hours of the morning.

‘It was around 2:30–3 am’

Speaking to Pinkvilla, Vijay Ganguly revealed that the incident took place while shooting a qawwali sequence set during Dharmendra’s character’s college reunion.“It was around 2:30–3 am. We told him that he has to dance just a little bit and that he could do whatever he was comfortable with,” Vijay recalled. However, Dharmendra was keen to know what the other actors were doing.“We showed him that the other boys were doing a leg step while holding each other by their shoulders. He asked, ‘Why can I not do this?’”Vijay shared that the team was concerned about the veteran actor exerting himself, especially since standing up repeatedly was difficult for him at the time.“He was sitting because for him, getting up again and again was also a little difficult,” Vijay said. “We asked him to just move a bit and enjoy the music, but he insisted on doing the steps.”Despite the late hour and physical discomfort, Dharmendra stood up, called two of the dancers, and learned the choreography.

‘He has to give his 100 percent’

Recalling the moment with admiration, Vijay said Dharmendra’s motivation went beyond what was required for the scene.“He got up and he did it. Eventually, we told him not to do it because if we had many retakes, it would be physically exhausting for him. And honestly, dancing at that point was not very important for his character,” Vijay explained.“But for him personally, his thought was that he has to give his 100 percent. He was also feeling that no one should think that he can’t do it—so he showed that he could. We were like, ‘Wow, this is fantastic.’”Vijay further revealed that Dharmendra’s commitment didn’t stop with the dance steps.“He asked for the lyrics of the song and offered to memorise them in case any lip-sync was required. We told him, ‘No sir, you don’t need to,’ but he was very eager to give his 100 percent,” he said.

‘He was a very kind man’

Vijay, who is the son of filmmaker Anil Ganguly—who worked with Dharmendra in the 1991 film Dushman Devta—also shared a personal moment from their interaction.“I told him that you once worked with my father. He said, ‘He was a very kind man.’ That felt good,” Vijay recalled. Dharmendra passed away in November at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy defined not just by iconic performances, but also by humility, discipline, and an unmatched commitment to his craft.