Directed by Tinnu Anand Shahenshah, Amitabh Bachchan was almost shelved at one point. Jeetendra and Jackie Shroff were considered to replace Big B, but they declined. The film eventually became a blockbuster.
In 1984, Amitabh Bachchan took a break from acting and entered politics. Meanwhile, three of his films were released in 1985 and 1986 – Geraftaar, Mard and Aakhree Raasta, which he had completed earlier. The 1998 action film Shahenshah marked his comeback to Bollywood after resigning as Member of Parliament from Allahabad constituency in 1987, a position he won after winning the 1984 Lok Sabha elections decisively.
Last year in an interview, Shahenshah director Tinnu Anand had said that the film went through many difficulties at various stages of production. The film was almost shelved, and Jeetendra and Jackie Shroff were then considered to replace Bachchan, before Big B finally returned and completed the project. Ultimately, Shahenshah was a box office hit.
A few days before Shahenshah was scheduled to go into production, Amitabh Bachchan was admitted to a hospital in Bangalore. Recalling how the incident affected his film, Tinnu Anand told Radio Nasha, “Manmohan Desai’s unit told me that he had suffered an injury and was taken to Bengaluru for check-up. “He asked you to come to Bengaluru,” they told me. , so I went there. This time I was anxious to see if it would fit into my schedule? I waited at the hotel where he arrived and said, “Please sit down, I have bad news for you.” I was diagnosed with a nerve disease. While filming the movie, when I was drinking water, the water got stuck in my throat because the signal to my brain that I needed to swallow it didn’t reach my brain. He then said, “I almost died choking on it.” After this incident, Amitabh was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes significant muscle weakness.
Tinnu Anand who also starred in several hit films like Agneepath, Dabangg, Salaar, Ghajiniand Chamatkar, among others, added how Jackie Shroff and Jeetendra were being considered to replace Big B in the film. He added, “We had to shoot Shahenshah and it took us a year. Jackie was the first to agree. He liked the attention she was getting about possibly replacing Amitabh Bachchan in Shahenshah. Due to this buzz, he signed three or four more films. On the other hand, Jeetendra said, “I don’t think I fit into Amitabh’s shoes.” Tinnu said he realized that no one would be able to replace Amitabh and the project was shelved.
Around the same time, rumors started that Amitabh would be quitting acting soon. “On Monday or Sunday, the news came that Amitabh Bachchan would no longer work in films. And I spent a lot of money on the outdoor schedule. Now creditors were coming to my house. I experienced a year of poverty. But slowly, slowly Amitabh came back. His brother told me, “Tinnu, don’t worry, I know about your condition, but if dad (brother) comes back, he will finish his two unfinished films and then if he will. is still in workable condition, this is your first movie we will shoot.” Bunty, his brother, provided a glimmer of hope.”
Finally, after a year, Shahenshah hit theaters on February 12, 1988. Meenakshi Sheshadri, Pran, Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra and Sharat Saxena also starred in supporting roles. The action drama has gained cult status in Hindi cinema. The dialogue ‘Rishte Mein To Hum Tumhare Baap Hote Hain, Naam Hai Shahenshah’ still finds its mentions in pop culture.
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