‘Saala copy karta hai’: Mukesh Khanna recalls Amitabh Bachchan’s remark that ‘stayed’ with him

Mukesh Khanna recently addressed accusations of copying Amitabh Bachchan, sharing an anecdote about how a comment, allegedly made by Big B once, stayed with him. The actor revealed that one of Amitabh’s friends overheard him commenting on Mukesh, accusing him of imitating the superstar. Despite having met Amitabh several times afterwards, Mukesh noted that they never worked together or discussed the remark during their interactions.

During a recent appearance on the YouTube channel Hindi Rush, Mukesh shared, “I starred in one advertisement. It was an ad where I put on perfume, and girls turned to look at me. A person told me he was present when this ad was being played in a theatre. He was Amitabh’s friend. And Amit ji has a certain style. If I were in his place, I might have said the same thing. He told me that Amit ji saw the ad and said, ‘Saala copy karta hai (He’s copying me).’ You can call me self-respecting or stubborn, but I told that man, ‘Pagal hai tu, woh aisa bolege? (Are you mad? Do you think he’d say this?)’ But that sentence stayed in my mind.”

Mukesh also reflected on how this comment was perceived by the media. He admitted that many people suggested Amitabh Bachchan’s single statement “finished his career.” Mukesh dismissed the idea, saying, “We never worked together, but to say that Amitabh Bachchan finished my career is a nonsensical statement made by somebody.” He recalled an interaction with a journalist who tried to provoke him by asking if Amitabh had ‘sabotaged’ his career with just one comment. “I told him, ‘Are you mad?’” Mukesh recounted.

Also read | Tiku Talsania ‘recuperating well’ after brain stroke, confirms daughter Shikha Talsania: ‘It’s been an emotional time’

Mukesh added that he has encountered Amitabh “10 times” since hearing about the alleged remark. He shared one such meeting that occurred on a flight from London to India, where the two exchanged pleasantries before taking their seats. Mukesh clarified that his career choices were never influenced by Amitabh, noting, “I starred in a few films because I signed only a few films. Amitabh didn’t stop me from starring in Mahabharat or Shaktimaan.”