Bollywood's 'Greatest Actor' Amitabh Bachchan's iconic voice has been mimicked by many through his dialogues in the film 'Agneepath' (1990). The dialogue 'Vijay Deenanath Chauhan... Full Name' became a signature of Amitabh in 'Agneepath'. His voice in the film was even deeper than it is in reality.
Did you know that the way Amitabh delivered this dialogue with a changed voice was initially not well-received by the audience? There was such an issue with his altered voice that Amitabh had to re-record his dubbing immediately after the film’s release. Connected to the gangster drama genre, today 'Agneepath' stands as a cult-classic, with numerous intriguing anecdotes that will enhance your viewing pleasure.
How did Amitabh come up with the idea of changing his voice?
During an episode of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', Amitabh revealed where his idea of altering his voice for 'Agneepath' came from. It was the first day of the film shoot, and Amitabh was in the makeup room trying to figure out the character.
Source: aajtak
The director of 'Agneepath', Mukul Anand, advised him to speak his dialogues in a heavy, different voice for this character. Amitabh further explained, 'A man used to visit music composer Kalyanji-Anandji's house, and his voice was very deep. So I thought, why not give Vijay a voice like this?' He later found out that the man had underworld connections.
But this voice did not resonate well with the audience. Amitabh said, 'When the film was released, the producer called to say there was chaos in the theaters. The audience was tearing seats and asking the sound department to fix the system, saying - 'This is not Amitabh’s voice.' To address this issue, I had to record the film again in my normal voice. However, the original voice was very impactful.'
The Unkept Promise of 'Jumma'
In 1991, Amitabh Bachchan’s film 'Hum' featured the song 'Jumma Chumma', which remains popular today. Composed by the famous duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, this song was originally written for 'Agneepath'. During the filming, director Mukul Anand realized that Amitabh’s character lacked a lighter mood and maintained a serious tone throughout.
Source: aajtak
Thus, 'Jumma Chumma' did not fit with Vijay Deenanath Chauhan’s character, so they omitted it from the film to replace it with the item number 'Ali Baba', featuring Archana Puran Singh. While 'Ali Baba' has faded into obscurity, 'Jumma Chumma' remains iconic.
Finally, Danny Faces Off Against Amitabh
'Agneepath' is remembered as much for Vijay Deenanath Chauhan as for the villain, Kancha Cheena, portrayed by Danny Denzongpa. Amitabh was a big hero of his time, and Danny was equally significant as a villain. However, fans waited a long time to see them face off in a film.
Source: aajtak
Initially, Danny was offered the role of Gabbar Singh in 'Sholay' (1975), but due to delays and commitments, he backed out, and the role went to newcomer Amjad Khan. Similarly, the villain role in Amitabh's 'Coolie' was initially offered to Danny, but again scheduling conflicts precluded Danny's appearance, leading to Kader Khan playing the part. Finally, Amitabh and Danny did share the screen in 'Agneepath', creating unforgettable cinematic sparks.
Amitabh Won a National Award But the Film Flopped
'Agneepath' was an expensive film and a passion project for producer Yash Johar. Amitabh’s performance was acclaimed by critics, earning him a National Award for Best Actor, albeit the film was a box office flop, causing significant losses for Yash Johar.
Yash's son, Karan Johar, now one of Bollywood’s top filmmakers, shared in an old interview that he loved 'Agneepath'. He always felt that the story deserved more love from the audience. This motivated him to remake the film in 2012, starring Hrithik Roshan as the hero and Sanjay Dutt as the villain. The 'Agneepath' remake was a box office hit, collecting over 100 crores.
Source: aajtak
This Memorable Scene Was Written for Another Film
The scene of Master Deenanath Chauhan’s (Alok Nath) death in 'Agneepath', where no one comes to carry his body, and his son Vijay pushes his father’s corpse alone on a cart, leaves a lasting impact.
The writer of 'Agneepath', Kader Khan, had actually written this scene for another movie, 'Jaahil'. Kader had discussed this while planning his directorial debut. However, after Amitabh's injury on the 'Coolie' set, 'Jaahil' got shelved, and eventually abandoned. Director Mukul Anand then used these scenes in 'Agneepath' with Kader Khan's approval.
When 'Agneepath' was made, Amitabh’s films were not performing well. 'Ganga Jamuna Saraswati' received negative reviews and narrowly escaped being a failure, while movies like 'Toofan', 'Jaadugar', and 'Main Azaad Hoon' didn't make a mark. For 'Agneepath', Amitabh fully entrusted himself to director Mukul Anand’s vision, seeking a film that diverged from the typical Bollywood style. Though 'Agneepath' flopped at the time, it later gained due love and a loyal following.
