Television actor Dilip Joshi, best known for playing Jethalal in the long-running sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, has opened up about his memories of working alongside veteran actor Rakesh Bedi in the 1998 situational comedy Hum Sab Ek Hain. Speaking to IANS, Joshi recalled how Bedi's humility stood out even when the latter was already a well-established name in the industry.

What Dilip Joshi Said About Rakesh Bedi

Joshi was effusive in his praise for Bedi, who has recently earned fresh acclaim for his role as Jameel Jamaali in director Aditya Dhar's franchise Dhurandhar. "Today, the entire world appreciates his work, and I am too small to speak about Rakeshji," Joshi told IANS. He further added, "He is such a senior actor and has been a part of the industry for many years. He is a very talented actor. He has always done good work and will continue to do so."

Memories From 'Hum Sab Ek Hain'

Hum Sab Ek Hain, which aired in 1998, was a situational comedy built around a joint family, with the theme of national integration at its core. Joshi recalled that Bedi, despite being a significantly bigger star at the time, never let that status create any distance on set. "During Hum Sab Ek Hain, Rakesh ji was already a very big star, yet he was extremely humble. When we worked together in 1998, he never made anyone feel that he was such a legendary artist or such a big star. We were all quite new at the time, and we worked together like a team," Joshi said. The recollection paints a picture of an era in Indian television when ensemble casts often blurred the lines between senior and junior talent.

About the 'Dhurandhar' Franchise

The renewed spotlight on Rakesh Bedi comes courtesy of Dhurandhar, a high-octane duology helmed by Aditya Dhar. The franchise features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Gaurav Gera, and Danish Pandor, alongside Bedi. The first instalment centres on a high-stakes covert counter-terrorism operation, following an undercover Indian intelligence agent who infiltrates Karachi's criminal syndicates and political power structures in Pakistan to dismantle a terror network targeting India.

What the Sequel Covers

The second film, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, continues the story of the same undercover agent as he persists in penetrating Karachi's underworld and Pakistani politics, this time avenging the 26/11 attacks and confronting larger threats. According to reports, the film's storyline draws loosely on several real-life geopolitical events and conflicts in South Asia. The franchise has brought Bedi's versatility as a character actor to a new generation of audiences, prompting peers like Joshi to reflect on the veteran's long and distinguished career.