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Not only have Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha made notable appearances together in films such as Dost, Kaala Patthar, Dostana, Shaan, Parwana, Naseeb, and Yaar Meri Zindagi, but they also share a close bond; a friendship that has stood the test of time. However, their relationship has also experienced its share of ups and downs over the years. In fact, during the filming of director Yash Chopra’s Kaala Patthar, the two hardly spoke to each other on set. Sinha once revealed that Bachchan eventually didn’t want them to work together anymore.
Recalling their initial days, Sinha said during a chat with Rediff in 2002, “I was at the fag end of my struggle [to establish myself] when he came in [to films] and began his own struggle. We used to be together with actor Anwar Ali, Mehmood’s younger brother. Most of the time we were either at Mehmood’s house or my flat in Bandstand, Bandra. We would see films together and go on dates together to discotheques, etc. We were a great team. We also shared the same secretary, Pawan Kumar.”
He added, “At first, Amitabh’s films didn’t do too well. Then, luck and tide favoured him. He began to rise and became a star and then a superstar. I was doing well in my own way. There are certain things that people are not aware of. Amitabh’s role in director Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay was first offered to me. But I was emerging as the lead in those days. I didn’t want to play such a role. Even Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar’s Deewaar was originally written for me. It was lying with my producer for a long time. Then there was some difference between the producer and Salim Khan. He took back the signing amount. The film was then given to Yash Chopra.”
However, their relationship gradually deteriorated over time. “Amitabh went ahead [in his career]. We started meeting less and less but we did do a few films together, like Naseeb and Shaan. I must say Amitabh did not want me to do these films. I think Kaala Patthar was the last nail in the coffin of our friendship. He was very against me doing the film. I was in it much against his wishes. We were once such good friends, but he and I hardly spoke during the film’s shooting. I won a lot of praise for Kaala Patthar and then for Dostana. Then Amitabh decided he would not work with me.”
Despite the decline in their relationship, Shatrughan Sinha maintained that he never confronted or embarrassed Amitabh Bachchan by asking why they no longer worked together. According to him, whenever they met, they remained civil towards each other.
“I would like to add that when he faced difficult times financially, when the media thrashed him, I always raised my voice: one should never ridicule someone when he is low because these things can happen to anybody. What is the difference between those sycophants who praise you when you are in power and kick you when you are down, and you? So I always supported him in my own way. I never held a grudge against him,” he added.
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