Amitabh Bachchan refused to take a break during intense shoot, ate lunch while being covered in mud, recalls Sham Kaushal

Veteran action director Sham Kaushal recently shared inspiring stories of Amitabh Bachchan’s unwavering dedication, humility, and kindness. From their early days working on Mard (1985) to collaborating on the TV show Yudh, Kaushal recounted how Bachchan refused to take breaks during demanding shoots and even skipped lunch to stay on set. He also shared a memorable gesture after Kaushal’s son, Vicky, debuted in Masaan, with Bachchan sending heartfelt congratulations that Kaushal says changed their lives.

Sham Kaushal recalled his time as a trainee stuntman on Amitabh Bachchan’s 1984 film Mard. He also shared how Big B requested him as the action director for Yudh when Kaushal’s dates weren’t available. He told Friday Talkies, “I got a call from the director of Yudh asking for my dates just four days later. I told him I had other commitments, but Amitabh ji, who was sitting with him, took the phone. Amitabh ji said, ‘If you don’t come, I will change my dates. I will do action only when you give your dates.’ I was so overwhelmed that such a big legend was saying this. I asked my driver to stop the car, and I just sat there, thinking that Amitabh ji was willing to change his dates for me. I was in awe of his passion for work. You feel so small in front of his passion.”

Sham shared another experience from Yudh, when heavy rainfall delayed the shoot, and Big B, with multiple commitments that day, refused to have lunch and kept working. Sham recalled Big B telling him, “Khana toh rooz khate hai, aisa kaam kabhi kabhi milta hai (I eat food every day; this kind of work only comes once in a while).” Sham added that when they urged him to have lunch, Big B asked his staff to bring his sandwich on set, eating it while covered in mud.

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Sham also recalled another instance during the shoot of Teen when Big B refused to go to his vanity van and rest during a late-night shoot while the team was preparing the shot and lighting. He told Sham he would stay on set and observe as they set up.

Reflecting on Big B’s humility, Sham shared how the actor texted him a day after his son Vicky Kaushal’s acting debut in Masaan, congratulating Vicky for his performance in the film. He added that Big B sent Vicky a bouquet the next morning. “We didn’t sleep the whole night after his text. Our lives changed after that day,” Sham said.