Jayalalithaa was graceful, focused on her work: Dharmendra

New Delhi: Bollywood's yesteryear 'He Man' and former Lok Sabha MP Dharmendra today went down the memory lane, as he fondly remembered working with late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and former cine star Jayalalithaa in 'Izzat', the 1968 Bollywood film, in which she starred opposite him.'I am deeply shocked.She was my co-star.We worked together in Izzat in 1968,' the handsome actor told a TV channel.

'At that time, we stayed for nearly one-and-a-half month in Kulu-Manali for the shooting.
She was there with her mother, who prepared food for us.'She was very quiet, very graceful and only focused on her work.She didn't speak much on the sets.And we all respected her privacy.
In the film, she played a chirpy, bubbly character, similar to what Hema played in Sholay many years later.

'But in person, she was quite the opposite.Very dignified, graceful and quiet,' Dharmendra said, recalling that he spoke to Jayalalithaa on the telephone, every time he visited Chennai.
At the same time, he said he had not met her for years.'When I learnt that she was very ill, I fervently prayed for her recovery,' he added.Izzat, directed by T Prakash Rao, featured Dharmendra in double role.

Tanuja and Jayalalithaa were the leading ladies in the movie.While Tanuja played a grieving woman, Jayalalithaa got into the shoes of a tribal woman, who was spunky and bubbly.
The seasoned politician's Hindi debut didn't do well at the box office.

However, the flick is remembered for Jayalalithaa's graceful dance on the song 'Jaagi re badan mein jawala saiyyan tuney kya kar dala', sung by Lata Mangeshkar.The hit song was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, while the lyrics were written by Sahir Ludhianvi. (UNI)