Lead actress quit THIS film after Amitabh Bachchan was finalised, later Jaya Bachchan saved his career by saying yes, the film became blockbuster, earned Rs…

After Amitabh Bachchan was finalised, legendary actress Mumtaz backed out of the project, which later turned out to be a blockbuster.

Prakash Mehra’s Zanjeer made Amitabh Bachchan an overnight sensation. Big B’s portrayal of Inspector Vijay, garnered him the iconic ‘Angry Young Men’ title in Bollywood. Interestingly, before Amitabh Bachchan, Zanjeer was offered to three superstars who declined the film.

Reports from The Times of India reveal that Dharmendra and Mumtaz were chosen to play the lead roles in Zanjeer. But later, Dharmendra backed out and director Prakash Mehra contacted other stars for the lead role.

He considered Dev Anand for the role, but he suggested adding songs to the film, which Prakash Mehra wasn’t favour of. After unsuccessful attempts with Dev Anand and Dharmendra, Prakash Mehra approached Raj Kumar with the script, but the actor requested the shooting location should be Hyderabad which didn’t work out. Then later, the iconic duo Salim-Javed recommended Amitabh Bachchan’s name for the role of Inspector Vijay in Zanjeer. And that’s how Big B landed a pivotal role in the film.

After Amitabh Bachchan was finalised, actress Mumtaz backed out. Initially, she was finalised as the lead heroine, but she decided to quit the industry, choosing marriage over career. Prakash Mehra was facing another challenge after this sudden change. At that time, he was working on a different project with Jaya Bachchan. He told her Zanjeer’s story, and she agreed to be the part.

Prakash Mehra decided to cast her as the lead opposite Amitabh Bachchan, and that’s how the whole cast came on board. Zanjeer featured other prominent casts including Om Prakash, Ajit Khan, and Bindu Desai in significant roles. Made in Rs 90 lakh, the film went on to earn Rs 17.6 crore globally, becoming the highest grossing film of 1973.

Following Zanjeer’s success, Amitabh Bachchan cemented his position as a superstar, delivering blockbusters like Sholay, Deewar, Amar Akbar Anthony, Trishul, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Kala Patthar, Kalia, Naseeb, Namak Halal, Dostana, Shakti, Shahenshah, and Agneepath.