Dharmendra's JOHNNY GADDAR due to love for Mukesh

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While actors like Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha, who made their debut after him are a passe, Dharmendra (fondly referred to as 'Garam Dharam') is still a name to reckon with in the industry.

In fact, the year 2007 has seen the ageless 'Punjab Da Puttar', getting serious once again, and conquering the box-office with two consecutive successes, LIFE IN A METRO and APNE. But that is not all, as September 28 will see him in another good project, JOHNNY GADDAR, directed by the highly talented Sriram Raghavan (of EK HASINA THI fame).

It may come as a surprise to many, especially those who are not familiar with the golden hearted 'Yamla Jat', that Dharmendra consented to work in the movie because of his association with the one-of-a kind singer, the late Mukesh. Just to make it simpler, JOHNNY GADDAR features the legendary singer, Mukesh's (late Raj Kapoor's voice) grandson, Neil Mukesh, who makes his debut here. And as soon as 'Garam Dharam' (or should we say, 'Naram Dharam') heard about Neil's lineage, he invited the handsome youngster for a dinner and said 'Yes', and spoke to him about his association with Mukesh.

For those who are still not getting it, two of late Mukesh's best songs 'Aaya Hai Mujhe Phir Yaad Woh Zaalim' and 'Baharon Ne Mera Chaman Loot Kar' feature Dharmendra in the 1966 hit DEVAR.