The Zanjeer who helped keep Amitabh Bachchan linked to Bollywood

by Vikas Datta He had been in Bollywood for over three years and appeared in over two dozen films, but the ones that stood out had him in cameos and the ones he starred in were flops. Then came the indignity of being pulled from a film halfway through for a more marketable star – and a dispirited Amitabh Bachchan was ready to leave Bollywood.

However, three men – a pair of ever-rising screenwriters and a director – ensured that he not only stayed in the industry, but also rose to the top.

And with “Zanjeer” (1973), the first engines Salem Khan and Javed Akhtar, along with the initially reluctant Prakash Mehra, created a new Bollywood archetype, of the “angry young man”, and Bachchan was chosen to give its final shape. He was also lucky that most of the top titling actors rejected this paradigm shift for one reason or another, depending on their whims.

Screenwriter couple Salim-Javed guessed it was time for a change of Bollywood usual love and dance movies after heartthrob Rajesh Khannawhich had more than half of the top hits of 1971, delivered a series of flops in 1972, as recounted by Diptakirti Chaudhuri in his “Written by Salim-Javed” (2015).

Amid growing public discontent over prices, jobs and other illnesses, they focused on the “angry young man” who is attacking the system.

In reality, Salem Khan, the son of a police officer, already had the genesis of an idea even before he teamed up with Javed Akhtar, the son and nephew of famous Urdu poets, based on the stories his father told about dedicated police officers in the badlands of northern and central India.

What the duo did was move it into an urban setting and update it with the times.

They had prepared a script and convinced Mehra to make it her fifth film.

However, they couldn’t find any heroes for it.Dharmendra was initially interested but things didn’t work out between him and the director.Dilip Kumar liked the idea but considered the lead actor to be “one-dimensional” and having no possibility of “performance” (years later he confessed to having Salem that the photo was one of three he regretted not taking, according to Chaudhuri – the other two were “Baiju Bawra” and “Pyaasa”).

Developer Anand was approached but scolded the hero for not having songs, when even the secondary character had one, and turned it down when his stipulation.

Next was Raj Kumarwho had himself been a police officer in Bombay before entering films, but he also refused – a story which then made the rounds was that he had rejected it because he could not stand mustard oil for the hair that the director applied!

Salim-Javed continued to espouse Bachchan’s case but Mehra wasn’t too happy, given his record so far. Bachchan was just waiting for the right opportunity to showcase his talent (“I don’t know why the industry couldn’t see what we thought was absolutely obvious – that Amitabh Bachchan was an exceptionally good actor!” Javed told Chaudhuri for the book), continued to espouse his case.

They had found an ally in veteran actor Pran, who was the first to be cast as Sher Khan. According to the story, the son of Pran, working with Ajitabh Bachchan at the time Madras, was taken by the latter to see his brother’s “Bombay to Goa”, liked his performance and told his father – who accepted, and adopted his recommendation, and Mehra finally accepted.

He later said an abortive Bachchan biographer (Jessica Hines) whom he chose Bachchan because “I liked his voice and his eyes, it worked with the character – a cop who speaks very little and has all his expressions in his eyes”.

But, Salim-Javed still hasn’t given up on making his plan solid.

They then approached Jaya Bhaduriwho was a top star – and getting closer to Amitabh – and convinced her to be the heroine, thus improving the marketability of the film.

The film was made but the distributors – a key element in the release of a film – remained wary. And there, Salim-Javed played a trick.

Then working on the script for “Sholay” for the Sippys, they organized a special screening of “Zanjeer” – at their expense – for them, and convinced them to sign up. Bachchan for the epic, which was still being distributed. It sent a great message – if Bachchan was good for Sippys, so others don’t have to be afraid to take it.

“Zanjeer” was a hit that all parties needed and they were satisfied.

Mehra was now sold on Bachchan and gave him a series of films that became Bachchan classics – “Hera Pheri” (1976), “Khoon Pasina” (1977), “Muqaddar Ka Sikandar” (1978), “Lawaaris” (1981), “Namak Halaal” (1982), “Sharabi” (1984) – and the forgettable “Jaadugar” (1989).

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at [email protected])

vd

#Zanjeer #Assistance #Amitabh #Bachchan #Bollywood #Cinema #Movie # Amitabh Bachchan #Amitabh Bachchan #Dev Anand #Dharmendra #Dilip Kumar #take #Rajesh Khanna #Salem khan#Dilip Kumar #Jaya Bhaduri #Anand #Rajesh #Idea #Zen

.

#NOT_VID#