Three actors refused the movie that transformed Amitabh Bachchan’s life; the heroine resigned; the supporting actor was paid more than the superstar

Actors have been inspired by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, a living icon, for many years. His punctual nature and well-mannered way of living have enabled him to be involved in cinema for more than 50 years. The actor still exudes the same passion and intensity even after directing more than 150 films and appearing in more than 200 films in Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Kannada, Malayalam, and English.

Born in 1942 in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) to social activist Teji Bachchan and Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Amitabh began his film career in 1969, lending his voice to the character of the narrator in Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome. In Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’ 1969 film Saat Hindustani, Amitabh played one of the seven protagonists in his first acting role.

Amitabh’s uninteresting period in the early 1970s

Following Saat Hindustani, Amitabh starred alongside Rajesh Khanna in the very successful film Anand. Rajesh received high marks and recognition for his performance in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s film, and Amitabh won his first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. Amitabh also portrayed a villain in the Naveen Nischol film Parwana, which tragically bombed at the box office. Amitabh appeared in a number of low-gross movies in the early 1970s, including Gehri Chaal, Pyar Ki Kahani, Sanjog, Bansi Birju, Ek Nazar, and Reshma Aur Shera. The only successful films in these years were Anand and Bombay To Goa, but Mahmood and Rajesh Khanna stole the show with their individual productions. Before this film permanently altered his course in life, Amitabh was dissatisfied with his profession.

The breakout movie for Amitabh Bachchan was…

The vengeance drama Zanjeer, which was directed by Prakash Mehra, turned out to be Amitabh’s breakout picture. When Zanjeer opened in theaters on May 11, 1973, it put an end to Bachchan’s career’s dry spell and signaled a change in Hindi cinema toward more violent productions. In the Soviet Union and India, the film was a huge success. The movie reportedly made Rs 17 crores globally, which, after accounting for inflation, translates to Rs 564 crore in 2016.

Was Amitabh Bachchan not Zanjeer’s first choice?

Several news stories claim that Zanjeer didn’t initially consider Amitabh. According to reports, Mumtaz and Dharmendra were involved in the project’s announcement, but the former action star persisted in advancing it. Prakash and Dharmendra made the decision to split amicably as a result, and the director began contacting other celebrities. Superstars Dev Anand, Raaj Kumar, and even Dilip Kumar were reportedly offered the movie, but they all turned it down. Ultimately, Amitabh’s name was proposed by Salim Khan of the renowned writing team Salim-Javed, who was inspired by his performance in Bombay To Goa.

Mumtaz left Zanjeer when Amitabh was finalized, opting for marriage above a job. When the director described the character to Jaya Bahduri (now Bachchan), who was collaborating with Prakash Mehra on another project, the actress decided to take the film for Amitabh.

When Pran received a larger salary than Bachchan

During the filming of Zanjeer, Amitabh was referred to be a failed newbie, while Pran, who played Pathaan in the supporting role, was paid more and was seen as a larger celebrity than him.