From Arya High School to stardom: Dharmendra’s journey rooted in Phagwara

The city was enveloped in grief on Monday as the news of legendary actor Dharmendra’s death spread across Punjab. For the people of this town, his death was not merely the loss of a Bollywood icon, but of a beloved son whose heart never drifted away from his roots.

Born in Sahnewal but raised in Phagwara, Dharmendra spent formative years of his life in this town, where his father, Master Kewal Krishan Chaudhary, served as a respected teacher at Arya High School. The star completed his matriculation in the same school here in 1950, remembered by teachers and classmates as a gentle, sincere boy whose humility shone even in his youth.

After finishing his intermediate studies at Ramgarhia College, Phagwara, in 1952, Dharmendra left for Mumbai to pursue his cinematic dreams. Though fame embraced him quickly, he remained deeply connected to the town that shaped his early life.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dharmendra made several emotional visits to Phagwara, each time rekindling ties with childhood friends and familiar places. He often stayed with his cousin Hakim Sat Pal, but ensured he visited the homes of those who had walked beside him in his early years.

One of his regular stops was the residence of his old classmate Advocate SN Chopra, where conversations would drift effortlessly between memories of Arya High School and reflections on the journey that took him from the classroom benches of Phagwara to the grand sets of Mumbai. Chopra often recalled how Dharmendra, despite global fame, spoke fondly of school-time pranks, teachers he admired, and the discipline instilled by his father.

Dharmendra shared an equally warm bond with Harjit Singh Parmar and his family. During each visit, he made it a point to stop at their home, enjoying long conversations about old times, local developments, and the changing character of the town he loved. Parmar fondly remembered how Dharmendra, accompanied by his wife Prakash Kaur, would arrive at their residence with heartfelt warmth, touching feet to seek blessings and chatting affectionately with family elders. “He always came as the same Dharam we knew — simple, emotional and deeply rooted,” Parmar said.

One anecdote that continues to echo across Phagwara comes from Dharmendra’s youthful years: His rejection for a role in the local Ram Lila staged by the Quami Sewak Ram Lila Committee. When he returned decades later as a superstar, he teased his friend Kaura with the question, “Can I play a role in Ram Lila now?” — a remark that left those around him smiling through moist eyes.

A defining moment of his bond with Phagwara came in 2006, when he inaugurated the Gurbachan Singh Parmar Complex, built on the site of the old Paradise Theatre — the very cinema hall where he had once watched films that stirred his dreams. Overcome with emotion, he raised his voice to shout, “Phagwara Zindabad!” — a declaration of everlasting love for the town that had shaped him.

“Every time he came, he asked about everyone — the school, the teachers, the neighbourhood, and especially the old Paradise Theatre,” recalled Chopra. “For him, this was not just a hometown. It was a part of his soul,” he said.

Today, the grief in Phagwara is profound. At the site of the former Paradise Theatre, now the Parmar Complex, residents gathered in silence, sharing memories of the actor who carried their town’s spirit to millions. His words, spoken during one of his emotional visits, resonate deeply: “I am a farmer’s son from Punjab. Whatever I am today, I owe to this land and these people.”

Dharmendra’s father’s legacy as a strict yet compassionate teacher remains alive in the corridors of Arya High School, where his values continue to inspire, told Master Mohan Lal, a colleague of his father. Many in the town recall the actor’s striking resemblance to his father’s discipline, humility, and love for people.

As Phagwara mourns, it does so with pride and affection. The town bids farewell not only to a legendary actor, but to its most cherished son — a man who rose to global fame, yet returned time and again to sit with old friends, touch elders’ feet, walk familiar lanes, and celebrate the soil that shaped him.

In the quiet streets of Phagwara, a single sentiment echoes today: “Dharmendra Amar Rahe.”

== Memorable episode

Box - One anecdote that continues to echo across Phagwara comes from Dharmendra’s youthful years: His rejection for a role in the local Ram Lila staged by the Quami Sewak Ram Lila Committee. When he returned decades later as a superstar, he teased his friend Kaura with the question, “Can I play a role in Ram Lila now?” — a remark that left those around him smiling through moist eyes.

Made several visits to town

Throughout his illustrious career, Dharmendra made several emotional visits to Phagwara, each time rekindling ties with childhood friends and familiar places. He often stayed with his cousin Hakim Sat Pal, but ensured he visited the homes of those who had walked beside him in his early years.

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