The year 1975 was a turning point in Indian cinema, and no actor felt its impact more than Amitabh Bachchan. With Sholay and Deewaar releasing in the same year, Bachchan cemented his position as Bollywood’s ‘angry young man’.
However, when asked to choose between the two classics, the legendary actor was quick to dismiss the idea and said “What kind of a question is that? It’s like asking which of your two hands do you prefer? Every film has its own merit and relevance. I can’t choose one from the other.”
A Golden Year For Bollywood
When he was asked if 1975 was a landmark year for your career then, he was quick to acknowledge that it was an iconic year for Bollywood as a whole. He added, “There were other films featuring other actors during the year which are landmarks like Aandhi, Julie, Nishant, Chupke Chupke, Amanush featuring the great Uttam Kumar, Geet Gata Chal and Jai Santoshi Maa. All these are films remembered to this day.”
Big B also shared that he starred in Mili and Chupke Chupke, two Hrishikesh Mukherjee films released in the same year, as well as Faraar, alongside Sharmila Tagore and Sanjeev Kumar.
The Role He Wanted But Didn’t Get
Despite his legendary portrayal of Jai in Sholay, Bachchan initially had his sights set on another role. He revealed, “Of course when I heard the script, I pleaded with Salim-Javed and (director) Ramesh Sippy to let me play Gabbar. But they insisted I play Jai.”
Should Classics Be Remade?
With Bollywood witnessing a wave of remakes, the question of revamping iconic films like Sholay and Deewaar remains a hot topic. On this, Bachchan shared his views clearly: “In this, I agree with Lataji. She said the classics shouldn’t be touched.” His words echo the sentiments of many purists who believe some films are best left untouched.
