Did You Know Amitabh Bachchan Did A Film On Kandahar Hijack With Mohanlal For Free?

In a blog post from 2010, Amitabh Bachchan shared that he had turned down the payment offer out of respect for Mohanlal, who also co-produced the film. 

Malayalam film 'Kandahar' featured legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan in a memorable extended cameo. 

Source : Instagram/@amitabhbachchan

The recent Netflix series 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack' has sparked controversy due to its depiction of the hijackers, with viewers raising concerns over the use of Hindu codenames instead of revealing their actual identities. However, this is not the first time the harrowing 1999 incident has been portrayed on screen. A notable earlier adaptation was the 2010 Malayalam film 'Kandahar', which featured legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan in a memorable extended cameo. 

Amitabh Bachchan's cameo in Mohanlal film

Directed by Major Ravi and led by acclaimed Malayalam actor Mohanlal, Kandahar recounts the same terrifying episode. Amitabh Bachchan did a cameo in the film without charging a fee. In a blog post from 2010, Bachchan shared that he had turned down the payment offer out of respect for Mohanlal, who also co-produced the film. 

Big B on doing the film for free

Bachchan, in his blog, praised Mohanlal as one of the finest actors in Malayalam cinema and recounted how Mohanlal, along with Major Ravi, visited his home to officially sign him for the film. 

“They (Mohanlal and Ravi) had come over to officially sign me on and make payments, etc. Ha...!! Payments? Fees? Remuneration? For a guest appearance of three days? With Mohanlal, who has always had my greatest admiration? No way!! I don’t charge money for such acts," Bachchan wrote. 

He further elaborated on how he graciously declined the payment, instead offering them homemade tea and finalising the details for the shoot.  

“Respectfully declined their offer, gave them some home-made tea, shook hands, embraced, and saw them off. It (the film) will probably be shot in Ooty, the picturesque and quaint hill station in the beautiful Nilgiri Range of mountains down south (sic),” he wrote. 

In Kandahar, Amitabh Bachchan portrayed the role of a grieving father whose son, played by Ganesh Venkatraman, joins the Indian Army and tragically loses his life during the operation to rescue hostages from the hijacked plane. Mohanlal played the senior officer leading the rescue mission.  

Despite the star-studded cast, Kandahar received criticism for its weak script. The film is currently available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar and YouTube.