Amitabh Bachchan reached a superstar status following the release of Deewar. Directed by Yash Chopra, the film turned Amitabh into the iconic Angry Young Man. However, did you know that Amitabh wasn’t Yash Chopra’s first choice for the film? In an interview in the 1990s, Rajesh Khanna revealed that Yash wanted him to star in the film. However, he claimed that Salim-Javed refused to give Yash the script if they didn’t take Amitabh on board.
As quoted by Bollywood Presents and reported by Hindustan Times, Rajesh said, “Salim-Javed and I had differences. They refused to give the script to Yash Chopra because they wanted only (Amitabh) Bachchan. So, although Yashji wanted me for Deewar, he had no choice. And, I guess overall, he must have felt that maybe Amitabh fitted the bill better.”
Rajesh recalled watching rushes of the film and felt Amitabh was a good fit for the role. “Later, I saw just two reels of Deewar and honestly, I said, `Wah kya baat hail (Wow)’ Honest to God. Talent was always there whether I worked with him in Anand or Namak Haram – I mean handi mein se agar chawal ka ek daana nikalo to pata lag jaata hai ki kya hai (if you take out a grain of rice from the pot you know if it’s done)– but talent needs the right break,” he shared.
The yesteryear superstar also admitted in the same chat that he envied Amitabh following the success of Deewar. “After Deewar I always envied him. Only thing is, I smiled each time he slipped because he made the same mistakes that I once made,” he admitted.
Rajesh Khanna is often hailed as the “First Superstar” of Indian cinema after he delivered 17 consecutive hits in the late 1960s. The record has not been broken by anyone in Bollywood yet. Rajesh and Amitabh also had a fallout after they starred in Namak Haraam. The film propelled Amitabh’s popularity. While the actors never reunited after the 1973 film, they came together for an interview in the 1990s. Amitabh also participated in Rajesh’s funeral in 2012.
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