Dharmendra had huge crush on this actress, once watched her film 40 times, she was in love with..., its not Hema Malini, Madhubala, Meena Kumari

Bollywood's He-Man Dharmendra was a heartthrob for his fans, especially the females, who used to go gaga over his dashing looks and larger-than-life personality. Many actresses also secretly admired him, including Jaya Bachchan, who once called him a 'Greek God'; however, Dharmendra fell in love with Bollywood’s Dream Girl, Hema Malini, and married her. But, many are unaware that before Hema Malini came into his life, Dharmendra had such a huge crush on this actress that he used to binge-watch her movies 40 times. This admission was made by Dharmendra himself, who once said that the only reason he got attracted to the film world was by watching legendary actress Suraiya's work. 

Dharmendra once reportedly revealed that he was so enchanted by Suraiya's beauty that he watched her film Dillagi 40 times. Dharmendra shared that he would travel from one place to another just to get a chance to watch her films. Dharmendra was infatuated by Suraiya's on-screen presence and captivating charm.

Born in June 1929, Suraiya was born in a Muslim family in Punjab. Her pairing with Dev Anand was widely admired. Apart from being a fabulous actress, Suraiya was also known for being a playback singer. In her career, Suraiya acted in over 70 films and sang 338 songs.

Suraiya was in a relationship with actor Dev Anand for four years from 1948 to 1951. The two also decided to slope and get married, however, her family never let them take their relationship forward. Suraiya remained unmarried by her own choice for the rest of her life. 

Regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, Suraiya retired from her acting career in 1963. She died at Mumbai's Harkishandas Hospital in January 2004 aged 75, due to multiple health ailments. Dharmendra, who was Suraiya's devoted fan, attended her funeral.