When This Amitabh Bachchan Film Was Turned Down By 13 Actors Including Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, SRK & Sunny Deol

Amitabh Bachchan was once at a career crossroads. Between personal and professional struggles, he found himself needing a project that could reignite his star power. Enter Sooryavansham, a film that eventually became a cult classic and a television staple despite its initial lackluster box office performance. The movie provided the unexpected resurgence he desperately needed.

He played the dual role of an aging patriarch and his youthful alter ego, demanding a great portrayal from the actor. What makes the story even more fascinating is that the role was initially offered to a roster of some of Bollywood’s biggest names. For reasons ranging from reluctance to play an elderly character to concerns about the image, 13 superstars turned down the opportunity.

Several Big Names of Bollywood Were Offered Sooryavansham

Before Amitabh Bachchan stepped into the shoes of Thakur Bhanu Pratap in Sooryavansham, the role was offered to a list of 13 celebrated actors. Among them were Sunny Deol, Mithun Chakraborty, Ajay Devgn, Jackie Shroff, Govinda, Anil Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, and Saif Ali Khan, as per DNA India.

Each of these actors, known for their distinct screen personas, reportedly declined the part because it demanded an uncharacteristic transformation: the portrayal of a mature, elderly man at a time when most leading roles were reserved for younger heroes. Back in the late 1990s, it would have been weird to have the three Khans, Akshay Kumar or Ajay Devgn, play the role of Bhanu Pratap. These actors also felt the same way.

The hesitance was not merely about age but also the risk of being typecast into paternal or mentor roles, a niche these stars were not ready to claim. Eventually, they all turned down the role one by one. However, the makers did not slow down and offered the role to Big B, who was ready to take the challenge. Amitabh Bachchan played the role of both Heera Thakur and Bhanu Pratap so brilliantly that many forget that the same person played these characters.

For more such stories, check out Bollywood

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