This actor played one of cinema's greatest villains but once couldn't pay Rs 400 to discharge his wife after childbirth; survived a near-fatal accident, died prematurely at 48

Indian Express

21-07-2025

An image instantly forms in our minds when we hear the dialogue, 'Arrey o Sambha, kitne aadmi thay?' Because there was only one actor who could make that line iconic for generations to come — Amjad Khan, who played one of Hindi cinema's greatest villains of all time, Gabbar Singh, in Salim-Javed's Sholay.
Amjad Khan was the elder son of veteran character actor Jayant, who was a well-known supporting actor. Amjad started his journey in the film industry as a child actor in minor roles, appearing in films that also featured his father, like Nazneen (1951) and Maya (1961). In 1965, he was supposed to be launched as a lead actor in Patthar Ke Sanam, but the film was shelved. He eventually made his debut in Hindustan Ki Kasam in 1977.
However, Amjad struggled to find roles after his debut, and due to the lack of work, he faced financial constraints in his personal life. One particularly difficult period was when his wife gave birth to their son, and he didn't have the money to pay the hospital bills.
Amjad's son, Shadaab Khan, spoke about this in an old interview with The Times of India. He shared how his father was embarrassed and didn't show up at the hospital because he couldn't pay the bill. 'He didn't have money to pay so that my mother (Shehla Khan) could be discharged from the hospital I was born in. She started crying. My dad was not showing up at the hospital; he was ashamed to show his face,' he shared. However, it was Hindustan Ki Kasam director Chetan Anand who came to his rescue and paid the bill on his behalf.
The day his son was born turned out to be a day of good luck for Amjad. That was also the day he signed Sholay, the film that would catapult him from a struggling actor to an overnight sensation. Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, the writers of Sholay, had originally wanted Danny Denzongpa to play Gabbar Singh. However, due to date issues, Danny backed out of the project.
This turned out to be a blessing for Amjad, as Salim Khan recommended him after being impressed by his acting prowess.
Amjad Khan understood the magnitude of the opportunity Sholay presented—a chance to go from struggling actor to star. Perhaps that's why he was nervous while playing the role. Determined to embody Gabbar, Amjad went all in. According to Rediff, he wore army fatigues purchased from Chor Bazaar, slung a bullet belt over his shoulder, and even blackened his teeth to make the tobacco-chewing Gabbar Singh more convincing.
Despite his commitment, his nervousness got the better of him. Anupama Chopra mentioned in her book Making of a Classic that Amjad and director Ramesh Sippy struggled to find the right tone for Gabbar during the first two days of shooting. Amjad couldn't deliver a single good take during the initial schedule, prompting Ramesh Sippy to give him a break and reconsider him for the next schedule. Meanwhile, whispers began among the crew about replacing him.
Amjad's voice was also a concern. Both Salim-Javed and Ramesh Sippy felt his voice wasn't powerful enough for the villainous role. Feeling guilty about recommending him, Salim-Javed even suggested replacing him or dubbing his voice. The book states: 'If you aren't satisfied with Amjad, change him,' they told him. But the director decided to give Amjad another chance—and the rest, as they say, is history. However, once Amjad found out about this conversation, he was so hurt that he never worked with Salim-Javed or Ramesh Sippy again.
Just a year after Sholay's release, Amjad suffered a near-fatal car accident while traveling from Mumbai to Goa. The steering wheel had collided with his chest. The actor was left unconscious with a punctured lung and was admitted to the hospital, where his Sholay co-star and close friend Amitabh Bachchan came to his aid. It was Big B who signed the hospital admission papers and ensured that Amjad received the necessary medical care.
Amjad Khan's family was also injured in the accident and no one was there to take responsibility for an important surgery for the actor. 'The scenario was grave. He was unconscious and breathing with difficulty. He needed immediate surgery. The doctors did not advise shifting him to Mumbai while his family had been moved to Mumbai,' recalled Bachchan in an interview to Filmfare.
'The document absolves the doctors of any untoward incident during an operation. When none of the production members were willing to give the signature, I took it on myself and signed the paper. I spoke to his family in Mumbai and they gave consent. The surgery went off well. I organised for a chartered flight to take him back to Mumbai soon after. He survived and recovered to be back with us on the set. The incident brought us even closer,' the actor had said.
Although Sholay had made Amjad a star and his career was filled with offers, the physical trauma from the accident would haunt him in the years to come. Despite his health issues, he starred in many iconic films post-Sholay, including Satyajit Ray's acclaimed Shatranj Ke Khiladi.
He went on to feature in several hit films such as Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, Inkaar, Ganga Ki Saugand, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, and Satte Pe Satta—many of them alongside Amitabh Bachchan. But the accident he had narrowly survived in 1976 left long-term effects on his health. He began gaining weight, which further deteriorated his condition.
Amjad Khan died prematurely at the age of 48 in 1992.