The movie ‘Zanjeer’ marked a pivotal moment in Amitabh Bachchan’s career, originating from a series of rejections by top actors. Directed by Prakash Mehra and written by Salim-Javed, the role was declined by stars like Rajesh Khanna and Dev Anand, before Bachchan was cast. The film established him as Bollywood’s ‘Angry Young Man’ and transformed his fortune.
If it weren’t for the rejections of top Bollywood actors, Amitabh Bachchan’s career might have taken a different path to ‘Zanjeer’. In addition to establishing Bachchan as the Angry Young Man of Indian cinema, the movie revolutionized how heroes in Hindi films were depicted. It was directed by Prakash Mehra and written by Salim-Javed.
Amitabh Bachchan wasn’t originally selected for the role that would launch him into stardom.
According to Jaya Bachchan, who shared insights into the series ‘Angry Young Men,’ Prakash Mehra initially offered the lead role to established actors like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, and even Dev Anand. Despite the strong script, these actors turned down the role, leaving Mehra frustrated and determined to prove a point. Jaya Bachchan explained that Mehra was deeply angered by the rejections, feeling that the film had the potential to be a game-changer.
“Prakash Mehra’s anger was: ‘How dare anybody do this? I know this is a good story, I know that it would make a difference.’ He was angry that he got rejected by so many people. He had to prove a point,” she revealed.
In addition to Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, other industry veterans such as Sachin Pilgaonkar also provided their insights on why certain stars turned down the film. Pilgaonkar specifically mentioned Dev Anand’s reason for passing on the role of Vijay – due to the lack of songs in the script. Being known for his romantic roles and hit songs, Dev Anand couldn’t see himself acting in a film without any musical numbers. As he stated, “Vijay doesn’t have a single song. That’s why Dev sahab refused it after reading the script, thinking that ‘the audience won’t accept me without songs!’”
After top stars passed on the opportunity, Prakash Mehra faced the challenge of finding an actor who could embody his artistic vision. It was at this juncture that Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan took notice of Amitabh Bachchan’s performance in an action sequence from ‘Bombay to Goa.’ In their opinion, he was the ideal fit for the role. However, at that time, Bachchan was struggling in his career, having experienced a string of unsuccessful films and difficulty finding actresses willing to work with him. Senior film journalist Bhawna Somaiya recalls how Amitabh Bachchan was going through a difficult phase when he received the offer for ‘Zanjeer.’
Once cast, Big B’s performance in ‘Zanjeer’ not only redefined his career but also introduced a new kind of hero to Bollywood—one who was intense, brooding, and far removed from the song-and-dance routines typical of Hindi cinema at the time.