‘Mujhe Maaf Kardo’: Why Tabu Rejected 'Baghban' With Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini’s Baghban is often regarded as a timeless family drama in Hindi cinema. However, the role of Amitabh’s on-screen wife was initially offered to Tabu.

Tabu refused to be casted opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Baghban.

Source : Instagram

Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini’s Baghban, directed by Ravi Chopra, is often regarded as a timeless family drama in Hindi cinema. However, the role of Amitabh’s on-screen wife was initially offered to Tabu, as revealed by producer Renu Chopra in a recent chat with Pinkvilla. Tabu, however, declined the offer as she wasn’t ready to portray the mother of four grown-up children.

When Tabu refused to do Baghban

Renu shared, “We thought of casting Tabu, and she insisted on listening to the film’s script. She cried and all that. She loved the script. I thought she was definitely going to say yes to the film. Somebody was sitting with me, and she said, ‘When Tabu cries listening to the script of a film, she never does that film.’”

When Renu directly asked Tabu about her decision, the actress admitted her hesitation. “I asked this to Tabu, ‘You won’t do the film?’ She said she loved the story but she doesn’t want to portray a mother of four children. She said, ‘My whole career is ahead of me, so Ravi ji, mujhe maaf kardo (Ravi ji, please forgive me).’”

At the time of the film’s release in 2003, Tabu was around 32 years old, while Amitabh Bachchan was about 61.

Interestingly, Tabu's decision led to an unexpected reaction from her aunt. Renu revealed, “After two years of this conversation, when the film was released in theatres, Tabu was in Hyderabad and she went to see the film with her aunt and uncle. She told them that she was offered the film but refused the role. Her aunt reprimanded her, saying, ‘Ye chhappal nikalke tumhare sir pe marungi. Why did you say no to this film? (I will beat you with a slipper).’”

What Hema Malini said about the film

Even Hema Malini had her own reservations about taking up the role. In an earlier interview with Bharathi S Pradhan, she disclosed that it was her mother’s encouragement that pushed her to accept it.

“Before the mahurat of Baghban, B R Chopra met me and told me that he wanted me to play the role perfectly just like he had desired. He narrated the story to me and I think, it was his blessing because of which the film did well."

She continued, "Till today, people talk about that film. I remember when I was hearing the story from Ravi Chopra, my mother was sitting with me. After he left, I said, ‘Chaar itne bade bade ladko ke maa ka role karne toh bol raha hai. How can I do all this?’ My mother said, ‘No, no. You must do it. The story is good’.”

It’s fascinating how a film that became an iconic tale of family values and love might have looked different if the casting choices had panned out as originally planned!