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From refusing 'Zanjeer' to losing 'Pakeezah': 5 Shocking things Dharmendra revealed on Aap Ki Adalat

Bollywood's veteran actor Dharmendra, who is gearing up for his next release 'Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se', recently revealed some shocking facts on a popular talk show 'Aap Ki Adalat'.

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Bollywood's veteran actor Dharmendra, who is gearing up for his next release 'Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se', recently revealed some shocking facts on a popular talk show 'Aap Ki Adalat'.

Dharmendra was the first choice for Zanjeer

It was 1973 film 'Zanjeer' that catapulted Amitabh Bachchan to stardom but not many know that the titular role of Vijay Khanna was first offered to Dharmendra. The original script had Dharmendra and Mumtaz in the lead. However, he had to turn down the offer on his cousin's behest. She apparently had a feud with director Prakash Mehra after which she requested her brother to pull out of the project. Later, Mumtaz was also replaced by Jaya Bachchan. 

Interestingly, the director had reportedly approached Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Raaj Kumar and even Devanand before finally signing up Amitabh Bachchan for the role. 

Amitabh, by now, had had 12 flops in a row and was considering leaving Mumbai for trying his luck in some other profession. Rumour has it that he was called back from a train station in Mumbai for the role of 'Zanjeer', that eventually went on change his fate. 

Dharmendra was also approached for 'Waqt'

BR Chopra, who was one of the biggest directors of those times, was keen on casting Dharmendra in 'Waqt'(1965) for the role of the eldest brother. However, Dharmendra, who had then just begun being recognized as a romantic hero, wasn't too interested in playing the eldest son. Not so foolish to let go of such a tempting offer, Dharmendra requested Chopra to assign him the role of the middle-brother, instead. But, this time the director didn't agree. The role later on went to Raaj Kumar. 

It was Dharmendra who helped Amitabh Bachchan bag the role of 'Jai' in 'Sholay'

Dharmendra also revealed that it was him who recommended Amitabh Bachchan's name to the producers for the role of Jai in 'Sholay'.

Last year when he was asked to comment on the same thing, Dharmendra had remarked, "Amitabh says NOW that I recommended him. If he is saying that from where he is now, from such a dizzying height, people will talk about his greatness. He never said earlier that I had recommended him. So now when he says it, people will say he is great, not I."

When he lost a role because of his friendship with a female actress

Dharmendra and Meena Kumari shared a great rapport off-screen. And it's said that it was because of this very friendship that he lost a chance to be a part of a blockbuster like 'Pakeezah'. Actually, the director of the film Kamal Amrohi, who was Meena Kumari's estranged husband, was against casting his ex-wife's 'friend' in his film. 

When Dharmendra was made to play a role of a dark man 

Dharmendra played the role of a dark man in film 'Razia Sultan' opposite Hema Malini and it's said that Kamal Amrohi intentionally made him do the role to exact revenge. However, refuting the reports, the veteran actor clarified, “It isn’t true. I was playing the role of a Negro Yakut Jamaluddin which required my face to be darkened. It had nothing to do with Kamal Amrohi and his evident dislike towards me.”

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