The state’s Malwa region is home to the largest number of Dharmendra’s fans. As the veteran actor is admitted at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, his admirers here are fervently praying for his recovery.

He was born and brought up at Dangon village of Pakhowal Block, studied at Government High School, Lalton, and worked as a tubewell operator at Banbhaura village in Malerkotla district.

A native of Dangon village, not many people know that Dharmendra studied at Government High School, Lalton, for several years and was a tubewell operator, too.

Buta Singh Deol of Dangon village fondly recalls his uncle, Dharmendra’s, affection for his father, Manjit Singh Deol, because of which he had entrusted him with the management of his agricultural land here.

“Even though taya ji spent much of his childhood at his mother’s village, Nasrali Haibowal, he would often visit Dangon and spend quality time with locals,” said Buta, showing old photographs of the actor with villagers.

Villagers recalled that Dharmendra would often drive tractors in his fields whenever he visited Dangon—even during the peak of his career.

Gurmel Singh, an octogenarian of Banbhaura village, remembered Dharmendra’s days as a tubewell operator. “He and his colleague Dilbag Rai would help farmers water their crops efficiently by scheduling tubewell operation at night. Although we were supposed to stay near the tubewell during our duty hours, Dharmendra would spend a majority of it with the villagers, guiding and helping them resolve their problems,” he said.

Dr Davindra Ashok of Pakhowal, who had started writing a book on Dharmendra, described him as a man of great warmth and versatility. “He never disappointed anyone who came in contact with him,” he said.