Dharmendra, a beloved icon, initially hesitated to play Veeru in ‘Sholay’, preferring Thakur or Gabbar. Director Ramesh Sippy’s offer of Hema Malini swayed him. Interestingly, Dharmendra was the highest-paid actor on the film, earning ₹1.5 lakh, and even recommended Amitabh Bachchan for his role, much to Shatrughan Sinha’s surprise.