Amitabh Bachchan was ‘replaced’ in films as makers ‘couldn’t sell him as a hero’ initially, says Prem Chopra

Prem Chopra also said that Amitabh Bachchan was so disciplined that he would always turn up on time, which forced producers and directors to also start on time.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | June 22, 2023 04:13 PM IST

2 min read

Amitabh Bachchan was replaced from a few films in his early days.

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Amitabh Bachchan debuted in the movies with Saat Hindustani but it wasn’t until Zanjeer that the film industry started taking him seriously. Prem Chopra, who worked with Big B in films like Trishul and Kaala Pathhar, recently recalled that the veteran actor was “ready to do any role” in his early days.

Chopra was speaking about a time when actors, who wanted to be leading stars, did not take up supporting roles for the fear of getting rejected for lead roles. “When he was struggling, he was ready to do any role. There was a role in a Manoj Kumar film, and he was ready to do that also but then it didn’t materialise,” he recalled in a conversation with News18.

Chopra shared that in the beginning, Bachchan was “replaced” in a few films. “In a couple of films in the beginning, he was replaced. Because the producer said that it’s a commercial business and he couldn’t sell him as a hero. But he was not disappointed, he was determined that he will make it,” he said.

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It has been reported that Amitabh Bachchan was replaced in the 1974 film Duniya Ka Mela by Sanjay Khan after the shooting had already begun. Bachchan acknowledged this years later and said that Sanjay Khan was a big star at the time. Amitabh was also replaced by Dharmendra in Hrishikesh Mukehrjee’s Guddi.

Prem also recalled that Amitabh Bachchan is so disciplined that the producers and directors would come on time so the star wouldn’t have to wait. “He was very disciplined. He would reach before time and the directors and producers, they were conscious that we should be there on time because Bachchan is there. Otherwise, he will be sitting there and waiting for us,” he said.

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