In 1973, Bollywood's top stars like Dharmendra rejected this movie; the film became a blockbuster that helped revive a struggling actor's career
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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan 's rise to superstardom began with a movie that several established actors had turned down. When Prakash Mehra was casting Zanjeer in 1973, he approached some of Hindi cinema's biggest names, including Dharmendra , Dilip Kumar and Rajesh Khanna. Raaj Kumar was also as per reports considered for the role. Eventually, it was Amitabh, who was struggling to score a box-office hit, who landed the part of Inspector Vijay Khanna. The movie became a turning point in his career and introduced audiences to a hero who was very different from the romantic leads dominating Bollywood at the time.
Adding to this, Bollywood stars like Dharmendra passed on Zanjeer in 1973. Dharmendra was the first choice Dharmendra was among the first actors associated with Zanjeer. He had as per reports bought the story from Salim Khan for ₹ 2,500, with plans to star in it. The project was expected to be a joint production involving his brother Ajit and Prakash Mehra, even before Salim and Javed Akhtar had developed the screenplay.
Meanwhile, However, a fallout between Ajit and Prakash as per reports led Dharmendra to step away from the project. The script eventually returned to Prakash, who was left looking for a leading man. Reports have also suggested that Dilip Kumar was offered the role but declined it.
Notably, Rajesh Khanna was another name linked to the movie. He was at the peak of his popularity in the early 1970s, having won audiences over with his romantic roles. Zanjeer, however, called for a very different kind of performance. Its brooding protagonist offered little of the charm and romance associated with his screen image, and the role eventually went to someone else.
As per the latest buzz, By 1973, Amitabh had spent a few years trying to find his footing in the movie industry. He made his debut with Saat Hindustani in 1969 and collected recognition for his performance in Anand in 1971. But success as a leading man remained elusive, and his string of box-office failures had made him a risky choice for filmmakers.
In further updates, Salim-Javed, however, were convinced that Amitabh had the qualities needed for the role. With several established stars having passed on the project, the writers pushed for the relatively untested star. In an interview with India Today in 2022, Javed recalled just how difficult it had been to find someone willing to take on the movie.
On top of that, “Amitabh Bachchan was actually the last choice for Zanjeer. The script was written for Dharmendra ji, but for some reason, he later refused to work on it. Prakash Mehra now had a script but not a leading man. He was also producing a movie for the first time since he had only directed before that. He went from star to star to offer the role. Some of them are not in this world, while some of them are. Everybody refused to do this movie," he shared.
The writers believed the star could bring the right mix of intensity and anger to Inspector Vijay Khanna. His performance in a fight sequence in Bombay to Goa had as per reports caught their attention, convincing them that he could handle the physical demands of the role. His tall frame, deep voice and ability to convey frustration without saying much made him stand out.
Source: Hindustan Times