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Baghban is a beloved film in Indian middle-class households, known for its messaging and the powerful performances delivered by Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. However, not many are aware that Hema initially considered turning down the film. In an old interview with Lehren Retro, the veteran actress shared the reason behind her hesitation. She recalled an incident when director Ravi Chopra came to narrate the story at her home, where her mother was also present.
She said, “I remember when I was hearing the story from Ravi Chopra, my mother was sitting. After he left, I told her, ‘Char itne bade bade ladkon ke maa ka role karne ko bol raha hai… how can I do all this? (He’s asking me to play the mother of four grown-up sons… how can I do all this?)’ Then she turned around and said, ‘No, no you must do the film.’ And I asked her why. She said, ‘The story is very good, you must do it.’ And she was really after me. So I was like, okay, I’ll do it.” The actress added, “Because first I felt that before this, I was not doing many films, so after a long gap I was working. So I felt, why should I do this? But she said, ‘You must do this, this role will be very nice.’”
Interestingly, Hema Malini wasn’t the only one who needed convincing. Few know that the role of Pooja Malhotra was initially offered to Tabu. While she appreciated the script and the character, Tabu declined the role as she was hesitant to portray the mother of four children at the age of 36. She later appeared opposite Amitabh Bachchan in R. Balki’s critically acclaimed romantic comedy Cheeni Kum. Even Amitabh Bachchan wasn’t the filmmakers’ first choice. The role was initially offered to legendary actor Dilip Kumar, who eventually turned it down.
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