Amitabh Bachchan's 'Shahenshah' is one of his most iconic films, but it almost never came to be. Just before shooting was set to begin, Bachchan faced a major health scare, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness. This came after his life-threatening injury during a fight scene on 'Coolie'.
With Amitabh stepping away from 'Shahenshah', director Tinnu Anand found himself in a difficult situation as creditors started demanding the money already spent on production. In a recent conversation with Radio Nasha, Anand revealed that they even considered replacing Amitabh, though they knew no one could truly take his place.
Jackie Shroff and Jeetendra were approached for Shahenshah
Tinnu shared, “Shahenshah was cancelled after thousands and lakhs of rupees had already been spent on the unit, on air tickets, and everything. Then, creditors began knocking at my door, asking their money back. For me, that amount was impossible to repay, and that’s when we began searching for an actor to replace Amitabh. Of course, there was no replacement for him.”
Anand revealed that he had considered both Jackie Shroff and Jeetendra for Bachchan’s role in 'Shahenshah'. Jackie even signed a few films due to the buzz around possibly replacing Amitabh. “We had to make Shahenshah, and it took us a year. Jackie was the first to agree. He enjoyed the attention he was receiving about possibly replacing Amitabh Bachchan in Shahenshah. He signed three or four more films because of that buzz.
Jeetendra, on the other hand, said, ‘I don’t think I can fit into Amitabh’s shoes,’” Tinnu shared.
Realizing that no one could truly replace Amitabh, the film was shelved, leading to a difficult financial period for Anand. He recalled, “I experienced one year of poverty.”
Eventually, 'Shahenshah' (1988) became one of Amitabh Bachchan’s most memorable films. In it, he played a dual role as a corrupt cop by day and a justice-seeking vigilante by night. The film became a fan favorite, especially for Bachchan’s iconic dialogue, “Rishtey mein toh hum tumhare baap lagte hain.”