Bhubaneswar: Yaadon Ki Baaraat was released on this day- Nov 02, 1973. This was the first masala film in the lexicon of Hindi Cinema, and penned by none other than the super Jodi starwriter Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar). Also, this was Amir Khan’s debut film, as a kid artist (8-year old) he played the younger role of Ratan played by his uncle Tariq Khan.
With the Bollywood’s original He-man Dharmendra in the lead, the film grossed an India net of Rs 2.8cr in 1973. Superhit film of Indian Cinema, the film also has an ensemble of cast like Vijay Arora, Tariq Khan, Zeenat Aman, Neetu Singh, Ajit and Captain Raju.
However, the bigger masala in 1973 was Amitabh Bachchan had been rejected for Vijay Arora.
TALE OF TIME
Famous director Nasir Hussein wanted to cast Amitabh Bachchan as brother of Dharmendra, but he was forced to drop the idea by a host of film distributors. Salim-Javed had recommended Amitabh Bachchan’s name to play the brother role of Dharmendra. Had everyone agreed, Yadoon Ki Baraat would have been Amitabh Bachchan - Dharmendra's first co-starred film, because Sholay came in 1975.
But the distributors were dead against casting Amitabh Bachchan in the film. They strongly reasoned that they don’t want a flop actor to take a second lead role in the film.
It is the distributors who suggested the name of Vijay Arora to Nassir Hussain for the role of Dharmendra’s brother.
AMITABH BACHCHAN @1973
Amitabh Bachchan, the millennium star and Sahenshah of Indian Cinema, by 1973 had acted in as many as 12 films – from Saat Hindustani to Bandhe Haath and Gehri Chaal. But stars were not on Big B’s side. All of his 12 films were colossal flops.
VIJAY ARORA @1973
A gold medalist at FTII, Vijay Arora debuted in Bollywood in 1972 and acted in 4 films like Zaroorat opposite Reena Roy, Raakhi Aur Hathkadi opposite Ashok Kumar and Asha Parekh, Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Sabse Bada Sukh and Stayen Bose’s Mera Bhaiya. The films were not hits, too. But the films were no colossal flops.
WHY DISTRIBUTORS BET ON VIJAYA ARORA THAN BIG B?
The gossip in the B-town had been that almost all distributors argued that it is better to cast a newcomer in the film, who has recorded some mild success, than Amitabh Bachchan with a list of 12 consecutive flops.
Finally, Nassir Hussain bowed down before the distributors and dropped Amitabh Bachchan. Vijay Arora was chosen for the film. The Chura Liya hai tumne jo dil ko brought stardom for vijay Arora and he became a hit star after Yaadon Ki Baraat.
TRIVIAS OF YKB
