Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan in a still from Zanjeer.
Jaya Bachchan reveals she initially refused Zanjeer due to its male-centric plot but was swayed by the chance to work with Amitabh Bachchan.
In the Angry Young Men documentary on Prime Video, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan take a trip down memory lane, revealing the pivotal role that the legendary screenwriting duo Salim-Javed played in Amitabh’s career. At a time when Amitabh’s films were consistently failing at the box office, it was Salim-Javed who saw his potential and recommended him for the role of Inspector Vijay in ‘Zanjeer’—a film that ultimately changed the course of his career.
Initially, ‘Zanjeer’ was offered to Dev Anand, but he turned it down, citing concerns over the absence of songs, which he believed would make the film less appealing to audiences. This rejection left director Prakash Mehra frustrated. “How dare anybody do this?” Jaya Bachchan recalls Prakash Mehra’s anger. “He was like, ‘I know this is a good story. I know this would make a difference.’ He got angry that he was rejected by so many people. He had to prove a point.”
Luck was on Amitabh’s side when Salim-Javed saw his work in Mehmood’s ‘Bombay to Goa’. Farah Khan shares that the duo was impressed by Amitabh’s confidence, particularly in a fight scene with Shatrughan Sinha where he was chewing gum while fighting. This confident portrayal convinced Salim-Javed that Amitabh was the right choice for ‘Zanjeer’.
Reflecting on this period, Amitabh shared, “At a stage when you have failed in many of the attempts you’ve made in the profession, you actually enjoy the fact that somebody is coming to narrate a script to you rather than being dismissive. Just the fact that Salim-Javed wished to come and see me for a narration was in itself a huge moment.”
In the documentary, Jaya Bachchan revealed that she was initially reluctant to join the cast of Zanjeer due to its male-centric nature. “I never wanted to be a part of male-centric cinema. Zanjeer was a male-centric film. They had tried a lot of other women actors, but they all refused. They said, ‘You can’t say no. We need you.’” Jaya admitted that another motivation was the chance to spend time with her co-star, Amitabh Bachchan. “So, I thought at least we’d get to spend some time together.”
Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan got married in June 1973, a month after the release of Zanjeer, which became a blockbuster success at the box office.
