It was 49 years ago that Bollywood got its most iconic line of all time – Kitne Aadmi The. But what if we tell you that the man who effortlessly mouthed the dialogue couldn’t deliver it for days – only one single line! The man who was synonymous with Sholay, the man Amjad Khan who played the iconic Gabbar Singh!
Amjad Khan’s 1st Scene In Sholay
When Amjad, reached Bangalore for the film’s first schedule, he was very scared and nervous. So much so, that he could not deliver the first dialogue he was to shoot – Kitne Aadmi The.
An excerpt in Anupama Chopra’s Sholay, The Making of a Classic, she wrote, “There was nothing natural about his performances; Gabbar was a stranger to Amjad. Ramesh Sippy kept talking to him, trying to help him get his lines right. They struggled for two days.”
Gabbar Singh Cried!
The excerpt further read, “After 40-odd takes, both Ramesh and cameraman Dwarka Divecha decided the actor needed a break. Divecha told Amjad to keep his costume on and just sit on the sets. Tu apne aap ko season kar de. Amjad cried that night.
Salim-Javed Stepped In
There were rumors that Gabbar Singh could be replaced. It was Salim Khan who initially pitched Amjad Khan as Sholay’s Gabbar! Salim met Amjad and said, “I can’t promise you anything, but there is a role in a big film. I’ll take you to the director. Agar aap ko yeh role mil jaaye, aap ki koshish se ya aapki kismat se.”
However, after Amjad Khan did not give a single shot in the first schedule, the very Salim-Javed said, “If you aren’t satisfied with Amjad, change him.” The writers were anxious and not prepared to take the blame for ruining the film and the role.
However, this misunderstanding was blown out of proportion, so much so that Amjad never worked with Salim-Javed again. In fact, at Sholay’s premiere, they entered into a scuffle only to be separated by Amitabh Bachchan, who managed to calm down a drunk Salim Khan and an angry Amjad Khan. Salim Khan apologized the next day, but they never came together professionally!