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Dharam Paaji is like what I think my baa would be if she were alive and were to take to Instagram. What makes his histrionics all the more appealing is that unlike Big B on Twitter or DJ Khaled on Snapchat, Hema ji’s hubby has a feed that’s absent of any kind of professional agenda or malicious intent. There is no over-the-top effort to seem relevant and there is no cringe-inducing movie plug. And he is probably the only big name on social media, who is oblivious to its complexities. There’s no PR machinery dictating Daddy Deol’s feed. Even as yesteryear peers like Rishi Kapoor create controversies with their problematic Twitter rants, Dharam ji is content with telling his followers about his new cap and getting chicks to kiss on camera. In many ways, the genuineness depicted in Dharmendra’s Instagram posts mirrors his real-life aesthetic: a simple man who never quite took his stardom too seriously and focused instead on having a good time. Never afraid to take the road less travelled, (just look at all the women-driven movies such as Seeta Aur Geeta, he did in the prime of his career), one of my favourite posts from his feed is where the 83-year-old is passionately driving an ATV through what I can only assume is his farm house. In many of his stories, he flashes his trademark, twinkly smile, and reminds his followers to “be strong, keep moving” (sic). Clearly mellowing down with age, (he claims to have quit alcohol since 2011), his self-effacing charm and honest-to-goodness earnestness has managed to endear him to millennials. I know for sure that despite all the promotions, increments, and paid-off EMIs, some of just want to one day be Dharam-Uncle-on-Instagram level of nonchalant when we grow old. In Dharmendra’s IG posts, I find a reflection of our parents and grandparents. In the age of #Deepveer and #NickYanka, where celebs’ social media presence is managed by an entourage that ensures every single word, hashtag, and selfie is directed toward some bogus brand endorsement or professional goal, Dharam ji’s Instagram is a friggin’ godsend. Happy birthday, sir, and thank you for keeping it real.Sharing Dharam Paaji’s Insta posts with “awwwws” and heart emojis has become a ritual of sorts for our family WhatsApp groups.
