Shakti-A casting coup from 1982

After I finished Sholay I began working on two projects Shaan and Shakti, one for my own production house and Shakti for producers Mushir-Riaz. It was always my dream and ambition to work with Dilip Kumar. Later generations of directors felt the same way about working with Amitabh Bachchan whom I had already worked with in Sholay. For my generation the living legend was Dilip Kumar. He still is. Even Amitabh Bachchan acknowledges his debt to Dilip Kumar.

First came the thought of wanting to do a film with Dilip Kumar. One of my favourite films was Mother India. I felt Dilip Kumar had grown in stature as an actor to handle a role in that genre with ease. I wanted to make what you might call a Father India with him, about a man who sacrifices his son for his ideology. When Salim-Javed and I were talking about it—they also wanted to work with Dilip Kumar—I told them about a film starring Sivaji Ganesan which I had seen.

I suggested to Salim-Javed that we buy the rights for the Tamil film at a time when copyright infringement was not even a thought in our industry. We took the rights and then we worked on the story. Almost nothing of the original remained finally, except the father killing his own son. Then once the scripts were done, we could think of only Dilip Kumar.

We toyed with the idea of casting someone new since the father’s role was so powerful. We considered Raj Babbar. We even took his screen test. But no, I haven’t kept that screen test. I am not the film-historian’s delight. I don’t believe in preserving my work for posterity. Then Mr. Bachchan heard about this project and wondered why we didn’t offer to him.

He had become such a big star by then, one felt it wouldn’t be fair to him and to his fans. But the temptation of bringing these two actors (Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan) together was overpowering. We were eternally grateful to Mr. Bachchan, a superstar by then, for offering his services. If he hadn’t come forward to do the role, we’d have never gone to him for a son’s role in a Dilip Kumar film. I owe what Shakti became as much to Mr. Bachchan as Salim-Javed.

That was the other problem. By the time we came to Shakti his image was of an all-rounder. He was expected to sing, dance and do comedy. Just like today Salman Khan is expected to do his ‘Salman-giri’, Mr. Bachchan also carried some expectations in the audiences’ heart. He was like a one-man entertainment machine. I was a little worried about disappointing  his fans. And initially when the film was released, that’s exactly what happened.

They expected something else, just like they had expected a histrionic jugal bandi when Prithviraj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar came together as father and son in Mughal-e-Azam. But Dilip Kumar had to remain within the boundaries of his character as a son in Mughal-e-Azam. Likewise, Amitabh Bachchan in Shakti. Yet he came out with a scintillating performance. He was underplayed and intense. I don’t think anyone else could’ve played the role the way Amitabh Bachchan did. He had to play a hurt and wounded son.

Yes, and right after she did a very romantic film Kabhi Kabhie with him. But my rationale was, if Sanjeev Kumar could play Jaya Bhaduri’s father-in-law in Sholay, why can’t Raakhee play Amitabh Bachchan’s mother? I’d say it was a fascinating challenge for Raakhee to play Dilip Kumar’s husband and Amitabh Bachchan’s son.

Only if you place the expectations next to Sholay. But I think Shaan should be compared with Sholay in box office terms, not Shakti. Shakti is a different genre. It was like a stage play, a very internalized drama. We couldn’t open out that the me into a vastness of a masala product. If we did that, we’d have lost the drama.

I don’t agree. He was in love. And he lost his brooding demeanour when he was with her. There would be debates and disagreement. I make my films with my convictions.

If today you had to remake Shakti, whom would you cast as the father and son?

I’d never remake my films. When I was working with Amitabh Bachchan, I was asked would he be the next Dilip Kumar. When I was working with Shah Rukh Khan, I was asked would he be the next Amitabh Bachchan. In future another actor would be asked if he’s the next Shah Rukh.

Never mind. Woh bhi to meri hai na !