Amitabh Bachchan and Amjad Khan have been extra than simply co-stars—they have been nice associates. Their bond was constructed over years of working collectively in hit movies like ‘Sholay’, ‘Parvarish’, ‘The Nice Gambler’, and ‘Yaarana’. Whereas their on-screen chemistry was liked by followers, their off-screen friendship was simply as robust. However like many relationships, theirs additionally confronted a tough patch through the making of the 1990 superhero movie ‘Ajooba’.
A friendship constructed over time
Bachchan and Khan first labored collectively in ‘Sholay’ (1975), the place Amitabh performed the extraordinary Jai, and Amjad turned a legend along with his position because the fearsome Gabbar Singh. Their bond solely grew stronger over time. One of many largest indicators of their deep friendship got here in 1979, when Amjad suffered a horrible street accident whereas travelling to Goa. The accident left him critically injured, needing pressing medical assist. Amitabh stepped up and signed the hospital papers for Amjad’s emergency tracheostomy surgical procedure, saving his life. Their friendship had seen many highs and lows, but it surely remained robust—till ‘Ajooba’ occurred.The ‘Ajooba’ controversy- What went improper?
The 1990 movie ‘Ajooba’, directed by Shashi Kapoor and Gennady Vasilyev, was a grand venture with Bachchan within the lead. As per Masala.com, Amjad was initially solid in a key position and was excited to be a part of the movie. He even attended the mahurat (launch) occasion. However only a month into manufacturing, issues took a surprising flip, he was all of the sudden dropped from the movie and changed by Amrish Puri.
Amjad was devastated. He suspected that his removing was no accident and believed there was a conspiracy behind it. What harm him probably the most was his perception that Amitabh himself had performed a task in getting him ousted from the movie. He believed Amitabh had influenced director Shashi Kapoor’s resolution on account of private variations between them.
A confrontation that led to extra questions
Amjad didn’t keep silent about his emotions. He confronted Shashi concerning the state of affairs whereas they have been engaged on one other movie, ‘Meri Zabaan’. However as an alternative of getting a straight reply, he felt ignored when the director refused to clarify why he had been eliminated him from ‘Ajooba’. This lack of readability left him much more pissed off and deepened his rift with Amitabh.
Regardless of the fallout, Amitabh and Amjad’s friendship stays one among Bollywood’s most memorable bonds. They shared moments of real heat, loyalty, and assist over time, however ‘Ajooba’ marked a turning level that they by no means actually recovered from. Amitabh himself as soon as mirrored on their relationship, “We spent some anxious instances at numerous phases of our friendship… His accident, my accident after which his sudden passing away however there was a bond that remained unstated between us and nonetheless does…,” he wrote on his weblog.
