'Sholay' trivia: When Amjad Khan almost lost the role of Gabbar Singh

Amjad Khan was loved as Gabbar Singh in the classic film Sholay. Although nobody would have been able to pull the character of Gabbar as efficiently as Amjad Khan, it was reported the actor almost lost his role. According to reports, Amjad Khan was offered the role of Gabbar Singh by writers Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan while Danny Denzongpa was originally signed for the film. However, due to prior work commitments, Danny found it difficult to continue shooting for Sholay.

When Amjad Khan almost lost the role of Gabbar Singh in Sholay

In an interview, Javed Akhtar said he remembered watching Amjad Khan in Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon and shared about it with his writing partner Salim Khan. They then shared their thought with Ramesh Sippy and claimed that Gabbar was the finest role in the biggest film at the time. After their first meeting, Ramesh Sippy cast Amjad Khan.

Also Read: Urvashi Rautela To Dance With Gopichand In 'Seetimaarr'? Read Full Details

Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan, The Angry Young Man's Iconic Movies; From 'Sholay' To 'Zanjeer'

Ramesh Sippy later revealed that he wanted to cast Amjad Khan for Sholay after their first meeting itself because the moment he entered the room, he knew they had their man. However, Amjad Khan’s voice was not approved by all and they asked the team to reconsider someone else for the role. Amjad Khan, on the other hand, read everything about dacoits he could to prepare for the role of Gabbar Singh in Sholay.

Gabbar was one of the most important characters in the movie and they didn’t want to spoil the role of such a well-written character. However, the decision to stick to their decision and it turned out to be right. When Sholay first hit the theatres, it was considered to be a flop but by the end of its tenth week, the film was declared a superhit. People would line up outside theatres to see Jay, Veeru and Gabbar Singh on the big screen.

Also Read: Donald Trump Hails Indian Film Industry's Achievements, Cites ‘DDLJ’, ‘Sholay’ Amid Cheers

Also Read: Donald Trump Lauds Indian Cinema; Mentions 'DDLJ', 'Sholay' & Other Films In Speech