Latest news with #Trishul
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Amitabh Bachchan was in hospital, Parveen Babi in therapy': Anwar Ali recalls Khud-Daar shoot as film turns 43, how the film emerged a hit after Coolie accident
Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Khud-Daar (1982) turns 43 today. The film, produced by Mehmood's younger brother Anwar Ali, was among those to release after the actor's life-threatening Coolie accident. In fact, the film released while Big B was still in the hospital. However, that was not the only challenge facing the social drama — it's leading lady Parveen Babi also had to leave for the US for months to get therapy. Despite the challenges, the film emerges as a hit. Anwar Ali recalls how the first thing Bachchan asked him when he met him in the hospital was: 'How is the film doing?' How do you recall the experience of producing Khud-Daar? With any major hit or flop, it always seems like yesterday. You're either basking in the glory of achievement or reeling under debt because of the lack of glory in underachievement. So it isn't very different when I reminisce about the making and birthing of Khud-Daar, a hit! As the film completes 43 years, it seems just like yesterday when I set off on my own to make it as a filmmaker independent of family affiliations or associations, the silver spoon having been in the mouth long enough. What, according to you, were the film's USPs? An initial investment of Rs 2 was enough to trigger the joy of making something out of nothing. All I knew was I was going to produce a film. Did I have a story to tell? Well, at that stage, only my own. I had just bought a sea-facing apartment with all the money I had saved, and I was now left with two rupees in my pocket. Did you have a financier? Only a broker as desperate as me would be offering a meeting with a prospective financer as a result. My only story, my only strength, and probably my only bounty was that my best friend was my hero. You mean Amitabh Bachchan? Before I knew it, I was sitting across the table convincing the most dynamic businessman to diversify from his most conservative business. I had but one chance at this; it didn't matter that Farouq Rattonsey was a diamond magnate. We became partners despite the Rattonsey family's retaliation, and Yokohama Productions emerged. A lot of things happened just like that. I undertook to teach him the ropes of production with my extensive past experience and left him to handle the business side of things. Partners becoming friends strengthened the association further. ALSO READ: 'Asked Amitabh Bachchan to give me dates or I'll trash his film': Trishul producer's son recalls dad's conversation with Big B Amitabh Bachchan said an immediate yes to Khud-daar? Of course he did! Having lived under the same roof with Amitabh and, more importantly, having shared the same interests and experiences through seeking work together, working together, and growing in our respective spaces together, there was unconditional love, trust, and respect we shared with one another, an understanding in a language that was unique to us, and a subsequent co-existence that was naturally in sync. So when I had to narrate the story of Khud-Daar to him to get an official yes, it took the genius, witty, vociferous Kader Khan to narrate over a fleeting visit, 'It's a story of three brothers, and the hero is such a Khud-Daar.' Amitabh nodded in agreement. That was it. Was it a big help to have a superstar hero on your side? By now, many years into the industry, Amitabh had already established some precedents and traits, one of them being his focus on punctuality. Our 100-strong unit didn't always manage to comply. One such morning, at a huge 'basti' set we had constructed in Chandivali, for a 7 a.m. shift, we walked in half an hour late only to find Amitabh watering the plants and wishing each of us a smiling, sarcastic good morning! Fortunately, the work atmosphere was so harmonious that our entire unit was like family thanks to our director, Ravi Bhai Tandon, who ensured everybody's well-being. Everyone shared a common goal, to make a good film; everyone put their best foot forward. Khud-Daar was released without publicity, as Amitabh Bachchan didn't speak to the press at that time? Yes, those were the days when the press and Amitabh were not on the same side. Where films rely heavily on publicity and increased presence, there was a significant silence that was not showing signs of fading. As producers, we had to tactfully manage the prolonged situation whilst also balancing the commerce that went with the saleability and success of the film. This was an unprecedented phase that I had not been accustomed to in Mehmood Productions. ALSO READ: Mahesh Bhatt says Parveen Babi 'spiralled into madness', recalls her confessing 'darr lagta hai': 'What happened to her was an unimaginable tragedy' Parveen Babi was not well during that time? One lead artist was in therapy during the making of the film; the other lead artist was in the hospital during the release of the film. This was another unexpected challenge. 'Behna' Parveen, as I respectfully addressed her, had to stay in America for six long months for treatment, and many producers had terminated her contracts for various films. When I went up to her to discuss the same, she asked if I had come to ask for the signing amount back like the others. To her surprise, I replied on the contrary. I had gone to ask her how much time she needed and that we would wait for her. On her return, Yokohama Productions was the first to get Parveen's dates, a sign of her gratitude and graceful nature. Then there was the Coolie accident? Amitabh's Coolie accident shook the entire nation. Everyone was praying; the queues outside the hospital to donate blood got longer by the day — seemed like eternity. Khud-Daar was released when he was still in the hospital. Five years from conceptualisation to film release—that's what it took for Khud-Daar to see the light of day. The two-rupee note took me on a five-year-long journey, nothing short of an adventure. One cannot say time just flew because time did not fly. For a first-time producer of sorts partnering with a strong risk taker of sorts, it was our courage of conviction that saw us through and how. As I entered Amitabh's hospital room, the first thing he asked was, 'Bidoo, how's the film doing?' I said it's a superhit.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sanjay Dutt's drug addiction got him fired from Yudh; Sunil Dutt kept pleading for his son to be given another chance
Filmmaker Rajiv Rai said that he was best friends with actor Sanjay Dutt, but their relation soured when he cast the actor out from his movie Yudh, presumably because of his drug habit at the time. In an interview, the filmmaker said that he should probably get the credit for 'changing his life', because it was only after Sanjay was fired that he got the 'shock' he needed to get his life back on track. He was sent to the United States for rehab, but his father, the legendary Sunil Dutt, never stopped worrying about him. He even requested Rajiv Rai and his father, Gulshan Rai, to reconsider removing Sanjay from the film, but they wouldn't budge because they knew that they couldn't afford to delay their film. Rajiv said that it is a sin to criticise actors for being unprofessional, because they always work with the producer's best interests in mind. He also claimed that Sanjay was never a no-show in the time that he worked on Yudh. 'I shot 14 reels with Sanjay Dutt. In my heart of hearts, he's still my best friend. I can never forget those days, because they were the best days of my life. My father was best friends with Dutt saab; we were very close to the family. There were issues…' Also read – 'Asked Amitabh Bachchan to give me dates or I'll trash his film': Trishul producer's son recalls dad's conversation with Big B He continued, 'Sanju was not well. He needed rehab in Florida. I spoke to his father and told him to get him out of this… Whatever this is… I was very concerned. I'm not sure how he took it, but I think I changed his life. If I had not taken this drastic step then, he wouldn't have made the changes in his life. I had to forgo my friendship with him.' Rajiv said that 'fire' is a very 'ugly word', but he admitted that he had a conversation that led to him being removed from the movie. He added, 'I spoke to him every day, and I told him that he should take care of his health. I asked for his kind permission to carry on with the film and find somebody else. I had nobody.' He said that their families 'go back a long way', and that Sunil Dutt's first cheque was cut by Gulshan Rai, and that both he and his father were in New York for a significant period of time when Sanjay's mother, Nargis, was undergoing treatment for cancer. He said, 'Things didn't work out professionally between me and Sanju, and it was for his own good. He may love me for it or hate me for it, but I don't know, because we've never spoken about it… I have nothing bad to say about it. I've been tortured by this. I could sense that both he and his father were very upset with me, but I don't know for sure. If I was in their place, I would definitely be upset. I would sit with Dutt saab, and he didn't want Sanju to be removed. He'd keep requesting me to give him another chance. He was very upset about the situation as well. But I told him that he needs the electric shock.' Sanjay Dutt returned from rehab and resumed his career, but his troubles didn't end. Some years later, he was convicted in connection with the Mumbai blasts, and years after that, he was diagnosed with cancer. A film based on his life was released in 2018, with Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Sanjay.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Amitabh Bachchan's 'Trishul' producer asked him, 'Will you give me dates? Otherwise, I'm trashing the film'
Amitabh Bachchan 's film ' Trishul ' was reshot before it was released in theatres. However, there are two stories that tell why the film was shot again. The first one was narrated in Diptakriti Chaudhari's book 'Written by Salim-Javed,' which mentioned Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan duped producer Gulshan Rai into letting them shoot extra scenes for the film. On the other hand, the second story is that the producer himself asked for it, as the movie was not up to the mark. Now, the producer's son, Rajiv Rai , shared that the second story is the correct version of what happened. Rajiv Rai reveals the real reason why Amitabh Bachchan's Trishul was reshot In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Rajiv stated that his father had the gift of identifying which movie would be a hit after listening to just a few lines of the narration. He revealed that his dad had already worked with Salim-Javed, director Yash Chopra , and Amitabh Bachchan on 'Deewaar.' Rajiv added that after watching the first cut of the film 'Trishul,' Gulshan Rai sensed that it needed to be reshot. He added that one can ask anybody what exactly happened at that time. Rajiv recalled his father asking Amitabh Bachchan, "Will you give me dates? Otherwise, I'm trashing the film." To which Big B agreed. He clarified that almost half of the film was reshot, but not all of it. Rajiv revealed that there was no issue with the script, but during the execution, the focus turned towards Sachin Pilgaonkar instead of Sr. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Salma Hayek, 58,Shows Her Huge Size In New Photos Boite A Scoop Undo Bachchan. He said, "Sachin is very lucky; he's a very good actor, and he did a great job, but scenes that Amitabh Bachchan should have had went somewhere else." Rajiv further stated that when his father observed that thing, he realised that the movie will not work, "especially after 'Deewaar.'" He said, "My father used to tell me, 'Films are not made; they're remade'.' But what was the first story narrated in the book? As per the above-mentioned book, the scriptwriters, along with director Yash Chopra, schemed together and demanded to shoot for a few more days. According to the book, when producer Gulshan Rai called Salim Khan, asking if the movie could be salvaged, the latter replied, saying, "One way is not to release it at all." The producer called up Yash Chopra, and the director convinced him that the two writers are quite invested in the film. Amitabh Bachchan Posts Preserved ₹20 Sholay Ticket; Fans Shower Love They all met at a hotel and decided that reshoots are the only way. As per the book, Salim Khan recalled, "We decided to give him the news in installments in the same way he used to pay us in installments." The film was released on May 5, 1978. The film turned out to be a hit at the box office.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Asked Amitabh Bachchan to give me dates or I'll trash his film': Trishul producer's son recalls dad's conversation with Big B
It is known that the film Trishul was significantly retooled after being shot, but there are differing opinions on what happened. While one point of view, narrated in the book 'Written by Salim-Javed' by Diptakirti Chaudhuri, suggests that writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar basically duped producer Gulshan Rai into allowing them to film extra material, another account suggests that it was the producer who noticed that the film wasn't up to the mark, and demanded that it be reshot. His son, filmmaker Rajiv Rai, recounted the second version of the story in a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan. He said that his father had a knack for identifying hits, and could listen to just a few minutes of a narration and know if he should back the project or not. He'd previously worked with Bachchan, Salim-Javed, and director Yash Chopra, on the landmark film Deewaar. After watching the initial cut of Trishul, he felt that the narrative wasn't as focused on Bachchan's character as it should be, and felt that the movie needed to be redone. Also read – This Amitabh Bachchan fan moved to Mumbai after watching Trishul, eventually sold his Rs 50 crore bungalow to the star Rajiv Rai said, 'Nobody's above making mistakes, and my father was very good at catching where Yash ji had gone off track. We reshot Trishul completely. You can ask anybody. He asked Bachchan saab, 'Will you give me dates? Otherwise, I'm trashing the film'. He said, 'Okay, I'll give you the dates'. Almost half the film was reshot; I was exaggerating when I said all of it. You wouldn't be able to do it now. It wasn't that there was a problem with the script, but the story diverted towards Sachin instead of Amitabh Bachchan. Sachin is very lucky, he's a very good actor and he did a great job, but scenes that Amitabh Bachchan should have had went somewhere else. When my father saw the film, he realised that it won't work, especially after Deewaar. My father used to tell me, 'Films are not made, they're remade'.' According to the book, Salim-Javed cooked up a scheme with Yash Chopra, where they asked Gulshan Rai for a few days more, and kept increasing their requests as they ran out of time. Gulshan Rai asked, 'Salim sahib, is there any way to salvage this film?' Salim Khan replied sarcastically, 'One way is not to release it at all.' Gulshan Rai called up Yash Chopra later that night and complained about the writers' 'cold-blooded indifference.' The filmmaker convinced Gulshan Rai that Salim-Javed were completely invested in the project. The next day, he met them at a hotel, and they decided how best to approach the idea of reshoots with Gulshan Rai. Salim Khan recalled, 'We decided to give him the news in instalments in the same way he used to pay us in instalments.' Trishul was transformed into a commercial potboiler, and was given a major marketing push in trade magazines and periodicals. Salim-Javed's names were positioned right next to Yash Chopra's.
News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
'Mujhe Daant Padi': Amitabh Bachchan Scolded Rajiv Rai For Making Kajol The Killer In Gupt
Director Rajiv Rai recalls Amitabh Bachchan scolding him for making Kajol the killer in Gupt. Director Rajiv Rai's 1997 thriller Gupt left a generation stunned with its shocking twist — Kajol, the film's beloved heroine, was revealed to be the murderer. The bold move to cast a female lead as the villain was considered groundbreaking in Hindi cinema at the time. But not everyone was on board with this twist — including none other than Amitabh Bachchan, who personally questioned Rai's decision ahead of the film's release. In a recent interview on the Ravi Buleiy Official YouTube channel, Rajiv Rai shared a fascinating anecdote about a trial screening of Gupt held in Chennai. Amitabh Bachchan had attended the show and called Rai the very next day. 'He said, 'Rajiv, are you convinced with what you have done in this film? You have made Kajol the killer, are you sure? How can you be so sure?' So in one way, as a senior, he scolded me," Rai said. 'Mere ko daant padi. He is a senior, he can obviously scold me." Rajiv went on to explain that despite Bachchan's doubts, he stood firm in his creative vision, 'He questioned me, 'How are you so confident that this will work?' I told him, 'Sir, I don't have an answer for your questions. It is Wednesday already, please wait for 2 days, you will get your answer.'" As history would have it, Gupt opened to critical and commercial success, and Kajol's performance earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Villain, becoming the first actress to win in that category. Rajiv Rai also recalled his early professional ties to Amitabh Bachchan, having worked as an assistant director on classic films like Trishul and Kaala Patthar, both of which starred the megastar. He revealed that during a challenging phase in Bachchan's career — between 1992 and 1994 — he developed a script with Anees Bazmee specifically for the legendary actor. Despite Rai's high hopes, Bachchan declined the project, 'He said that the phase that I am going through right now, I don't want to do any films. He was not going through a good phase then," Rai said. 'He was confused, and in that confusion, he said no. He is not a confused man but his circumstances were such." The rejection left Rai heartbroken, 'I was like, 'I worked so hard, I was angry with my destiny, not with Amitabh Bachchan. I thought if destiny does not want me to work with Amit ji, I will work with someone new, so I made Mohra with Suniel Shetty." That decision turned out to be career-defining. Mohra, released in 1994, was a major hit, and along with Gupt, cemented Rai's legacy as one of the most daring and successful directors of 1990s Bollywood. First Published: July 26, 2025, 21:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
