Shahenshah was among the pioneering films in Bollywood to feature a superhero theme, signifying Amitabh Bachchan’s return to the cinema after a short break caused by a downturn in his career during the mid-1980s. The film’s tremendous success played a crucial role in re-establishing his prominence in industry.
Amitabh Bachchan’s legendary film Shahenshah, which premiered on February 12, 1988, marks its 37th anniversary. Below are some intriguing lesser-known facts about the 1988 movie Shahenshah.
Shahenshah emerged as the second highest-grossing Indian film of 1988, facing formidable competition from Tezaab and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. The line “Rishte Mein To Hum Tumhare Baap Hote Hain, Naam Hai Shahenshah” gained significant popularity and recognition. Additionally, the film is fondly remembered for Meenakshi Sheshadri’s outstanding performance, as well as Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of a single fictional character through dual performances and costumes.
Tinnu Anand, who achieved notable success with the film Kaalia (1981) featuring Amitabh Bachchan, sought to collaborate with him again in the early 1980s. The narrative for Shahenshah was initially crafted by Jaya Bachchan and subsequently enhanced by Tinnu Anand’s father, Inder Raj Anand.
Although Tinnu Anand secured Bachchan’s participation in 1983, the production faced delays as Amitabh fell gravely ill just three days prior to the scheduled shooting in Bangalore. Following a comprehensive medical evaluation, it was determined that he had developed myasthenia gravis, a rare chronic autoimmune condition characterized by muscular weakness without atrophy.
Due to Amitabh’s health issues and his obligations to other projects, filming was postponed until 1985. By this time, the original female lead, Dimple Kapadia, had been replaced by Meenakshi Sheshadri. The iconic costume worn by Amitabh in this film weighed nearly 18 kg, and despite his health challenges, he was adamant about wearing the costume during all his fight sequences.
During the filming process, a disagreement arose between Amitabh and Tinnu regarding a specific scene. Tinnu preferred that Amitabh don his police uniform, while Amitabh was adamant about wearing a blazer instead. The dispute escalated significantly, leading to a temporary halt in shooting as neither party was willing to compromise. The situation was resolved only when Tinnu’s father, Inder Raj Anand, stepped in and persuaded Amitabh to wear the police uniform by elucidating its importance to the scene, allowing filming to continue.
The shooting concluded in October 1987. Although the film was originally scheduled for release in November, the date was repeatedly postponed due to the potential for a boycott by certain opposition political parties. These parties had previously clashed with Bachchan during his tenure as a Congress MP and continued to harbor resentment towards him even after his departure from politics.
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