When Arjun Rampal Kept Amitabh Bachchan Waiting For Hours And Big B Taught Him A Lesson
Apoorva Lakhia recently recalled how Arjun Rampal unknowingly tested Amitabh Bachchan’s patience by arriving late to set—only to experience firsthand what it felt like when the tables were turned.
Filmmaker Apoorva Lakhia recently recalled how Arjun Rampal unknowingly tested Amitabh Bachchan’s patience by arriving late to set—only to experience firsthand what it felt like when the tables were turned.
When Arjun Rampal kept Amitabh Bachchan waiting
While reminiscing about shooting the 2005 action thriller 'Ek Ajnabee', Lakhia, in a conversation with Friday Talkies, recounted a night in Bangkok when he, Bachchan, and others visited a club, staying out until nearly 3 AM despite having an early morning shoot scheduled at 5:30 AM. Even after the late night, Bachchan, true to his reputation, arrived on set exactly on time.
“We were filming the first meeting between Amit ji and Arjun’s characters. Everything was set up, and Amit ji was ready. He had only one request—to be allowed to sleep for two and a half hours in the afternoon, which we had planned for. But Arjun didn’t show up,” Lakhia told Friday Talkies.
Arjun’s delay stretched to nearly three hours, forcing the crew to send someone to his hotel to fetch him. The scene was eventually wrapped up by noon, and Bachchan took his scheduled break. However, when it was time to shoot Arjun’s close-up, the veteran actor decided to teach him a subtle lesson in punctuality.
Amitabh Bachchan’s payback
Since Rampal had kept him waiting for hours earlier in the day, Bachchan reciprocated by staying inside his vanity van for the exact same amount of time. As time slipped away and the sun began to set, Arjun grew anxious.
"Arjun started panicking. Eventually, he said, ‘I will never be late again, boss.’ Without saying a word, Amit ji made sure he got the message,” Lakhia recalled.
Ek Ajnabee
A remake of Tony Scott’s Man on Fire (2004), which starred Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning, Ek Ajnabee featured Amitabh Bachchan in the lead, alongside Arjun Rampal, Perizaad Zorabian, and Kelly Dorji. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the film remains an action-packed thriller with a gripping narrative.
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