Dharmendra Learned Dance at 3 AM During ‘Ikkees’ Shoot, Choreographer Shares Anecdote

Veteran actor Dharmendra recently impressed everyone on the sets of his film Ikkees with his dedication, as revealed by the movie’s choreographer Vijay Ganguly.

Directed by Sriram Raghavan and starring Dharmendra alongside Astya Nanda and Jaidip Ahlawat, Ikkees released on 1st January and has collected ₹23 crore at the Indian box office so far.

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Vijay Ganguly, a renowned choreographer and brother of actress Rupali Ganguly, recalled how Dharmendra would practice dance steps at 3:00 AM, despite age-related difficulties that made standing for long periods challenging.

Vijay explained, “Dharmendra had trouble even standing up due to his age, but his dedication was incredible. During the early morning shoot of a qawwali sequence, around 2:30–3:00 AM, he insisted on learning some dance steps to match the energy of the younger actors.”

The scene in question depicted a college reunion. The team initially briefed Dharmendra that he only needed to make slight movements. However, curious and eager, he asked, “Why can’t I do the same steps as the others?” Despite the team’s suggestion to take it easy, Dharmendra chose to give his 100 percent.

Vijay further shared, “He spent most of the time seated because getting up repeatedly was difficult for him. But when it was his turn, he stood and performed the steps. Eventually, the team had to stop him, worried that repeated retakes could exhaust him. Though dancing wasn’t crucial for his character, he wanted to prove he could do it—he never wanted anyone to think he couldn’t.”

Dharmendra’s commitment to his craft, even at the early hours of the morning, demonstrates why he remains one of Bollywood’s most respected and admired actors.