Here’s why Ranjeet turned down the Gabbar's role in ‘Sholay’

Decades ago when Amjad Khan said, “Kitne aadmi the?” who knew that the dialogue would be etched in the minds and hearts of the audience forever? The iconic role of Gabbar Singh left an indelible mark on cinema lovers, and one can’t imagine anyone but Amjad Khan to have played this role. However, did you know Amjad was not the only choice for this villainous role in the 1975 release?

In the casting process of the iconic film, Danny Denzongpa and Ranjeet were potential contenders for the role of Gabbar. Ranjeet revealed in a recent interview with ANI that he respectfully declined the offer out of consideration for his friendship with Danny Denzongpa.


“When they came to me, they told me that Danny would not come now. In fact, I had no idea about the role as well. I clearly told them, ‘Danny is a good friend of mine, either you get me no objection letter from him or at least let him talk to me. if he agrees, then I will do the film.’ But I knew why he was not coming and I refused to be a part of the film," said Ranjeet.

The actor famous for playing the most unforgettable antagonist character, Ranjeet said the casting of Khan for the role was perfect. He added, “This role was destined for Amjad Khan, perhaps if I had played Gabbar the audience might not have liked it".


Directed by the legendary filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, ‘Sholay’ is among the top Bollywood classics. Helmed by the handsome duo of Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra, it was the tale of two friends and ex-convicts Jai and Veeru. Every character and actor in this movie to date holds a special place in the hearts of the cinephiles, then be it Amjad Khan as Gabbar, Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur Baldev Singh, or Hema Malini as Basanti.


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