Dharmendra's mother stormed out of his film screening when he threatened a character with sexual assault: 'You can slap me after the film'

Time of India

5 days ago

Bollywood actor Dharmendra's film 'Qayamat' created a stir. His mother walked out during the film's screening. She was upset by a controversial dialogue delivered by Dharmendra to Shatrughan Sinha. The dialogue involved a disturbing line about rape. Dharmendra tried to pacify her, explaining it was part of the script. The film had a star cast but did not do well.
Bollywood veteran
Dharmendra
may be known for his macho image and action-packed roles, but even he couldn't prepare for the emotional fallout from one particular scene in his 1983 film Qayamat.
In a rare and revealing anecdote, it was his own mother who couldn't bear to watch—and stormed out of the theatre mid-screening.
The reason? A controversial dialogue that crossed the line, even for fiction.
The Scene That Shocked His Mother
In Dharmendra: Not Just a He-Man by Rajiv Vijayakar, director Raj N Sippy recalled a moment that deeply upset Dharmendra's mother. During a particularly intense scene in Qayamat, Dharmendra—portraying a character consumed by rage—delivered harsh lines to Shatrughan Sinha.
The dialogue shocked his mother so much that she chose to leave the theatre, unable to watch her son say those words on screen.
The Controversial Dialogue
Sippy further revealed that the dialogue which deeply disturbed Dharmendra's mother was when his character, in a fit of fury, says to Shatrughan Sinha's character, 'Rape kya cheez hai main tumhein sikhaunga' ('I will teach you what rape is'). Shocked by her son delivering such a line, she walked out during the interval.
Dharmendra, understanding her reaction, tried to calm her down. He explained it was part of the script and asked her to watch the film in its entirety before making a judgment. According to Sippy, the actor even said that if she still felt uncomfortable by the end, she was free to slap him.
A Star-Studded Yet Forgotten Film
Qayamat featured a star-studded cast including Shatrughan Sinha,
Smita Patil
, Poonam Dhillon, Jaya Prada, Shakti Kapoor, and Bindu. Interestingly, 1983 was also a landmark year for Dharmendra's family for another reason—his son
Sunny Deol
made his Bollywood debut with Betaab, opposite
Amrita Singh
. While Qayamat failed to make a mark, Betaab became one of the biggest hits of the year.
On the work front, Dharmendra was last seen in Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.He will next be seen in Ikkis.