The film became a turning point in his career and introduced audiences to a hero who was very different from the romantic leads dominating Bollywood at the time. When Prakash Mehra was casting Zanjeer in 1973, he approached some of Hindi cinema’s biggest names, including Dharmendra , Dilip Kumar and Rajesh Khanna. Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan ‘s rise to superstardom began with a film that several established actors had turned down. Raaj Kumar was also reportedly considered for the role. Eventually, it was Amitabh, who was struggling to score a box-office hit, who landed the part of Inspector Vijay Khanna.
Amitabh Bachchan gets the role
He had reportedly bought the story from Salim Khan for ₹ 2,500, with plans to star in it. By 1973, Amitabh had spent a few years trying to find his footing in the film industry. He made his debut with Saat Hindustani in 1969 and earned recognition for his performance in Anand in 1971. In an interview with India Today in 2022, Javed recalled just how difficult it had been to find someone willing to take on the film.
He was at the peak of his popularity in the early 1970s, having won audiences over with his romantic roles. Dharmendra was among the first actors associated with Zanjeer. The project was expected to be a joint production involving his brother Ajit and Prakash Mehra, even before Salim and Javed Akhtar had developed the screenplay. Rajesh Khanna was another name linked to the film. Zanjeer, however, called for a very different kind of performance. Its brooding protagonist offered little of the charm and romance associated with his screen image, and the role eventually went to someone else. But success as a leading man remained elusive, and his string of box-office failures had made him a risky choice for filmmakers. Salim-Javed, however, were convinced that Amitabh had the qualities needed for the role. With several established stars having passed on the project, the writers pushed for the relatively untested actor. “Amitabh Bachchan was actually the last choice for Zanjeer. The script was written for Dharmendra ji, but for some reason, he later refused to work on it. Prakash Mehra now had a script but not a leading man. He was also producing a film for the first time since he had only directed before that. He went from actor to actor to offer the role. Some of them are not in this world, while some of them are. The writers believed the actor could bring the right mix of intensity and anger to Inspector Vijay Khanna. His performance in a fight sequence in Bombay to Goa had reportedly caught their attention, convincing them that he could handle the physical demands of the role. His tall frame, deep voice and ability to convey frustration without saying much made him stand out. Pran, who had already been cast as Sher Khan in Zanjeer, also reportedly supported the actor’s casting. With the writer backing the actor and other options running out, Prakash decided to take a chance on him. It was a gamble that would pay off in a way few could have anticipated.
Everybody refused to do this film,” he said.
