Amitabh Bachchan doubted Kajol's role in Gupt. Here's how the '90s director responded
About Rajiv Rai?
Gupt: The Hidden Truth, released in 1997, was a genre-defining moment in Hindi cinema. Directed by Rajiv Rai and backed by the banner of Trimurti Films, the movie was based on Louis Thomas's 1967 French novel Good Children Don't Kill and brought together a powerhouse cast including Bobby Deol, Manisha Koirala, and Kajol in lead roles. The film's slick direction, unexpected plot twists, and Viju Shah's unforgettable soundtrack made it one of Bollywood's most loved thrillers. The movie also marks Kajol becoming the first actress in the history of the Filmfare Awards to win in the Negative role category. However, Amitabh Bachchan was not quite convinced of her role.In a recent interview with journalist Ravi Buleiy, Gupt director opened up about a lesser-known behind-the-scenes moment involving none other than Big B himself. After watching an early cut of the iconic 1997 thriller, Amitabh Bachchan gave Rajiv a call—not to praise the film, but to question its boldest twist: making Kajol the murderer.Rai recalled that Amitabh Bachchan called him the next day and, instead of praising the movie, he questioned if he was convinced by what he had done. He was referring to the director's decision to portray Kajol as the killer. Rajiv added that the actor further asked, "You seem so sure—how can you be this confident?"Rajiv said it felt like a gentle but pointed nudge from a senior he deeply respected. While Amitabh Bachchan didn't scold him directly, he did challenge his creative decision, essentially questioning whether the audience would accept such a bold twist in a film of that scale.Caught off guard, Rai didn't have an immediate answer. 'I folded my hands and told him—sir, please give me two days. Let the audience respond. That will be my answer.' And as history shows, Gupt became a cult classic, and Kajol's unexpected villain turn shocked and thrilled viewers across the country. The gamble paid off.Rajiv Rai is a renowned director, screenwriter, and editor best known for his stylish action thrillers in the late '80s and '90s. He's the son of veteran producer Gulshan Rai and has directed several films under his father's banner, Trimurti Films. Some of his most popular works include Tridev, Vishwatma, Mohra, Gupt , Pyaar Ishq and Asambhav, to name a few.
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