When Amjad Khan did not have Rs 400 to pay the hospital bill after his son’s birth, signed Sholay on the same day
Amjad Khan is known for playing one of the best villains of Hindi cinema in Sholay. Such was his performance that his iconic dialogues from the film still hold a dear place in the hearts of film lovers. Amjad Khan scaled new heights in his career after Sholay made him a star but the actor-producer went through a terrible patch in his life right before he signed the Ramesh Sippy film.
Amjad’s son Shadaab Khan shared in an earlier interview with The Times of India that his late father did not have the money to pay the hospital bill after Shadaab was born. He shared that his father was not showing up at the hospital because he could not pay the bill. “He didn’t have money to pay so that my mother (Shehla Khan) could be discharged from the hospital I was born in. She started crying. My dad was not showing up at the hospital; he was ashamed to show his face,” he shared.
Sholay was the first film where Amjad was noticed but he had previously worked in a few films and one of those films was director Chetan Anand’s Hindustan Ki Kasam. When the late Chetan Anand learnt about this crisis, he rushed to help. The amount to be paid at the hospital was Rs 400 but Amjad could not gather the funds. “Chetan Anand saab gave him Rs 400 so that my mother and I could come home,” he shared.
In the same interview, Shadaab confirmed that this was the day that his father signed Sholay, the film that would change his life. The role of Gabbar was offered to many, including actor Danny Denzongpa, who had to let go of the project because his dates were not available. Even Sanjeev Kumar, who played Thakur, and Amitabh Bachchan, who played Jai, had shown an interest in playing Gabbar. Because Danny was not available, Salim Khan of the Salim-Javed duo recommended Amjad Khan’s name.
An excerpt from the book Sholay, The Making of a Classic by Anupama Chopra reads, “Salim had heard about Amjad’s skills as an actor, and physically, he seemed to fit the role. ‘I can’t promise you anything,’ he told Amjad, ‘but there is a role in a big film. I’ll take you to the director. Agar aap ko yeh role mil jaaye, aap ki koshish se ya aapki kismat se (If you get this role, whether by luck or effort), I tell you, it is the finest role in this film.’ Amjad seemed to fit the part, but he was unknown.”
