Our place in this industry is because of him: Ibrahim Ali Khan remembers Dharmendra

Actor Ibrahim Ali Khan penned a heartfelt note for late Bollywood legend Dharmendra on his social media, addressing him as a “man whose kindness shaped destinies”.

Dharmendra, the star who wrote himself into showbiz legend in a 65-year career spanning 300 films ranging from “Satyakam’ to “Sholay”, passed away at the age of 89 on Monday.

In a lengthy post on his Instagram handle on Monday, Ibrahim credited the late actor for discovering his mother, Amrita Singh, and said if he and his family are a part of the film industry, it’s all because of him.

The “Sholay” actor launched Amrita in 1983 with “Betaab”, which also starred his eldest son, Sunny Deol.

“Some people aren’t just stars on screen; they change the course of lives. Dharam Ji discovered my mother in Delhi when she was only 16, and trusted her with her first film ‘Betaab’. If it wasn’t for him, she may never have left Delhi… and we might not even exist,” Ibrahim wrote in the post.

The role in the film served as a breakthrough for Amrita, who later solidified her status in the industry and was one of the prominent actors in the 1980s and early 1990s.

“It’s overwhelming to think that our entire journey, our family, our place in this industry, all of it ,began because of him. A man whose kindness shaped destinies,” Ibrahim added.

Ibrahim, who also stepped into acting earlier this year with his role in Netflix’s “Nadaaniyan”, called Dharmendra “effortlessly charming and truly timeless” as he concluded the caption.

“Dharam Ji, you were devilishly handsome, effortlessly charming and truly timeless. Thank you for the wisdom you shared with me. I will hold onto your words for the rest of my life. My heart goes out to the entire Deol family, May they find strength through this difficult time. Rest in peace, sir. You will live on forever,” he wrote.