In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood many actors come and go but there are a few stars who rule and dominate the industry like no other and stay relevant for years to come. One such example of this is a superstar who came as a breath of fresh air when the early 70s romantic heroes were ruling the silver screen. This actor played a character that reflected their struggles anger and thirst. After delivering a string of flops this actor found a role that turned him into an overnight star.

The actor that we are talking about is none other than Amitabh Bachchan. Also famously known as the Angry Young Man or “Shahenshah”
Making of Zanjeer and More
A film of Amitabh Bachchan that made him an overnight star was none other than Zanjeer. Released in the year 1973 this film was made on a modest budget of Rs 90 and went on to earn a whopping Rs 17 crores at the box office. Before this Amitabh was on shaky ground and he delivered a string of flops and because of these disappointing failures he even considered quitting the industry. But destiny had other plans and Zanjeer became a career-defining moment for Amitabh.
Several Stars Rejection
Whats interesting is that Zanjeer wasnt the first choice for Amitabh. In fact the role was rejected by several established stars including Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna. Even the film’s leading lady wasn’t originally Jaya Bachchan. Even the veteran actress Mumtaz was supposed to play the heroine but after noticing top actors walking away from the project she also backed out. The role eventually went to Jaya and together she and Amitabh delivered one of Bollywood’s most iconic pairings.

Penned by the legendary Salim–Javed duo this story redefined Indian cinema. This tough and fiery character of Amitabh Bachchan was unlike the romantic heroes of that time. His powerful performance struck a chord with the audience and deeply resonated with them.

With Prakash Mehras direction and Amitabhs performance this film created magic in cinema. Even now half a century later Zanjeer is a blockbuster that introduced Amitabh Bachchan as a legend.
Story Highlights:

Zanjeer was rejected by several established actors including Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna.
Veteran actress Mumtaz also turned down the offer of being the leading heroine in this film.
Zanjeer redefined Amitabh Bachchans career.
Zanjeer earned Rs 17 crores.