Latest news with #AmjadKhan
India.com
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Not Danny Dezongpa, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Kapoor, this actor glamorized the villain culture, overshadowed 2 superstars in blockbuster film, movie name is…, he was…
Over the years, Bollywood has celebrated many memorable villains, Late Amrish Puri's magnetic Mogambo in Mr. India, Danny Denzongpa's chilling presence, Late Ajit Khan's suave evil masterminds with his famous 'Mona darling' flair, Sanjay Dutt's raw and intense character of Kaancha and Adheera, or the recent menacing portrayal of Arjun Kapoor as Danger Lanka. But this one actor from golden era, whose eerie laugh, chilling dialogues and sinister presence became an unforgettable memory etched in the hearts of cinephiles. Who was this villain? That menacing figure was Gabbar Singh from the classic film Sholay (1975), which was portrayed by legendary actor Late Amjad Khan, who rose from relative obscurity to stardom through this role, initially offered to another actor, but fate had other plans. Released with giants like Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra as leads, Sholay became a blockbuster and is often compared to Star Wars in its cultural impact. While the film itself was a massive hit, it was Gabbar Singh who overshadowed even the heroes; his lines 'Kitne aadmi the?' and 'Jo darr gaya… samjho marr gaya' remain iconic decades later. What other films were done by Amjad Khan? Amjad Khan went on to feature in over 130 films, playing intense antagonists in movies like Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (as Dilawar) and Parvarish. He was even rooted for humor, appearing in beloved films like Qurbani and Yaarana. His versatility impressed audiences in serious, comic and positive roles as well. His royal stance and subtle acting as Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Satyajit Ray's film Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977) was an invaluable contribution to Indian art cinema. The dignity with which he played the role of Akbar in 'Meera' (1979) became a standard in the portrayal of historical characters. More about Amjad Khan His performance changed the trajectory of character actors in Hindi cinema. He became the first on-screen villain to appear in a mainstream commercial advertisement, endorsing Britannia biscuits as Gabbar Singh himself. On July 27, 1992, Amjad Khan passed away at age 51 due to a heart attack, yet his legacy as Bollywood's ultimate antagonist remains vivid. Films like Sholay and its villain Gabbar Singh remain benchmarks for generations, with Amjad Khan's compelling portrayal continuing to define pure, unredeemed evil on screen.
Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
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
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.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"Iran Still Remembers": Iran Pays A Full-Page Tribute To Sholay As Amitabh-Dharmendra Film Turns 50
A month ahead of Sholay 's 50th release anniversary, Iran honoured the popular 1975 film and its team with a full-page tribute in one of its newspapers. Featuring an ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan and Amjad Khan, Sholay was directed by Ramesh Sippy and co-written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. According to the official X page of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai, Sholay enjoys a massive fan following in Iran even today. On Wednesday, the page shared a cutting from the Iranian newspaper which carried a story on the 50th release anniversary of Sholay. 🇮🇳🇮🇷 On #Sholay 's 50th anniversary, #IranNewspaper dedicated a full-page tribute to the iconic film. With its unforgettable story of friendship, Sholay became a cornerstone of cinematic memory in #Iran; so much so that many Iranians still associate #Bollywood with this epic. — Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Mumbai (@IRANinMumbai) July 16, 2025 "On # Sholay 's 50th anniversary, #IranNewspaper dedicated a full-page tribute to the iconic film. With its unforgettable story of friendship, Sholay became a cornerstone of cinematic memory in #Iran; so much so that many Iranians still associate #Bollywood with this epic," the post read. In an accompanying post, the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai said Iranian actor Navid Mamza played a villain in an Iranian film modelled on Amjad Khan's iconic antagonist Gabbar Singh. Iranian actor @navidmamza once drew inspiration from #GabbarSingh, mimicking his iconic looks and menacing mannerisms for a villainous role. — Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Mumbai (@IRANinMumbai) July 16, 2025 "Iranian actor @navidmamza once drew inspiration from #GabbarSingh, mimicking his iconic looks and menacing mannerisms for a villainous role." The official X account of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India also shared this post, with the caption, " Sholay turns 50 and Iran still remembers". #Sholay Turns 50 And #Iran Still Remembers 🇮🇷 🇮🇳 — Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) July 16, 2025 Indians on X Reacted With Joy And Surprise From dialogues such as "Kitne Aadme The", "Tumhara Naam Kya Hai, Basanti?" to "Yunki Ye Kaun Bola?", action-packed sequences to characters such as Jai, Veeru, Thakur and Gabbar Singh, Sholay has stood the test of time over half a century. A section of Indian fans of the epic film was overjoyed to find out that Sholay is also widely loved in Iran. One said, "Oh..!. It's popular in Iran ..! surprising ..!" oh..!. It's popular in Iran ..! surprising ..! — ~sb~ (@Shubham70590144) July 16, 2025 "This is heartwarming!" said anothe X user. This is heartwarming! — Divergent (@Aneel2941985) July 16, 2025 A user credited Salim-Javed for the film's feat. The legend of Salim-Javed 🙏 @Javedakhtarjadu — Jitu Salvi (@jitusalvi10) July 16, 2025 When one of the users said, "It means Gabbar was famous in Iran too", the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran replied, "In Iran, he is known as 'Jabbar Singh'; a formidable villain whose presence leaves a lasting impression." In A Nutshell Regarded as one of the most groundbreaking Hindi films, Sholay is set to complete 50 years of its release on August 15, 2025. A fully restored, uncut version of the film was screened on June 27, 2025 at the prestigious Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, Italy.
India.com
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
The man in the photo with Rani Mukerji is son of a Bollywood star, worked in only 6 films in 22 years, can you recognise him? His name is...
Nepotism in Bollywood these days has grabbed the attention of audiences, critics, and everyone alike. Kids coming from a background of actors are launched by big banners. While some films of these star kids, including Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Suhana Khan, Ananya Panday, Rasha Thadani, and more, turn out to be hits, others flop badly. However, this practice of an actor's child becoming an actor didn't start recently. Even in the early days of Bollywood, children of successful actors aspired to enter the film industry and follow in their parents' footsteps. Today, we will talk about one such star kid whose father played some iconic roles in Bollywood. However, he couldn't make a name for himself. Sholay was a huge hit, and many characters from the film stood out to the audience. Despite being released more than five decades ago, Sholay and its iconic characters remain fresh in the minds of viewers. One of those famous characters was Gabbar, played by Amjad Khan. His son also tried to become an actor but failed. Who is Amjad Khan's Son? Amjad Khan's son is Shadab Khan. Shadaab Khan started his film career as a child artist in the film Pyari Bhabhi. After this, he debuted in 1997 with the film Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, in which his heroine was Rani Mukherjee. However, this film failed to do wonders at the box office. Following this, he did movies like Detaabi (1997), Hey Ram (2000), Refugee (2000), Bharat Bhagya Vidhata (2002), and a short film Mini Banerjee Ghar Par Hain (2019), but none of them worked for him. Shadab Khan then decided to leave the industry. He acted in a total of 6 movies. What is Amjad Khan's Son Doing Now? Shadaab Khan married Rumana Chava in 2005, and let us tell you that after leaving the film industry, Shadab made his career in writing and direction. He has written novels like Shanti Memorial and Murder, and has also written scripts for some films.
Express Tribune
23-06-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
NA body finds fault with hospitals lease
A parliamentary panel has called for reviewing the lease granted to big hospitals in the federal capital, stating that there is a need for the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to sign new agreements with the medical institutions in view of public interest. The National Assembly Sub-Committee for Health convened on Monday. During the meeting, the convener, MNA Amjad Khan, stated that the CDA has provided all relevant documents with regard to land leased to major hospitals in Islamabad. The convener suggested that all such lease agreements should be reviewed and renewed in the public interest. According to CDA laws, any agreement can be revised or canceled, he said. He said the Shifa International pays taxes to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and also enjoys certain exemptions while it holds a lease valid until 2052. He said if this lease was signed in 2019, the committee wants to know under what terms it was done. Committee member Shazia Sobia stated that plots were allocated to the health institutions on a social, not commercial, basis, yet the leases were revised blindly. The convener proposed referring the issue to the Public Accounts Committee especially since leases were revised without thoroughly checking the status of services provided. Member Sabin Ghori raised a concern about Shifa International building parking on a green belt, asking the CDA for clarification. The CDA DG Land responded that only the directorate of municipal administration (DMA) could answer that. The convener stated that under Rule 227, the committee could request data from the FBR. "Until we have the data, we cannot reach a conclusion," he said. However, the FBR representative replied that sharing taxpayer data could create legal issues for him. Committee members then raised questions about the chairman and members of the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) board, arguing that if a private hospital owner chairs the board, it would result in a conflict of interest. The IHRA CEO told the panel that the board consists of seven members and two positions from the federal government remain unfilled. The Ministry of Health can provide more information on how board members are selected, he said. The convener asked how someone who owns a hospital and a medical college could serve the public interest while holding such a powerful position. He said the board has held only one meeting to date. RAYZA KHAN
