Dehradun, Nov. 27 -- As the world mourns Bollywood's legendary He-Man, I'm transported back to 11th Road, Juhu Scheme.

For over five decades, I've carried a privilege few had: knowing Dharmendra not as a superstar, but as Dharamji the neighbour.

The Man Behind the Myth

From 1971, our lives were beautifully intertwined. His bungalow was a 5-minute walk from ours. His elderly father would pause during evening walks to smile affectionately at us playing-that gentle Punjab warmth needing no words.

His kids, nieces, and nephews weren't "star kids" to us-they were classmates at Jamnabai Narsee School. We shared homework, school captaincy and exam anxieties. The Deol children carried their father's humility like a birthright.

I remember the...