When Anupam Kher revealed that Anil Kapoor snatched his chance of playing Mogambo
Mumbai, June 21
It is extremely difficult to imagine any actor other than Amrish Puri in the iconic role of Mogambo. But did you know that if things had gone a little differently, Anupam Kher would have played Mogambo in "Mr India".
It was Anil Kapoor because of whom Anupam Kher did not get the part.
The veteran actor made the shocking revelation as Anil's daughter, actress Sonam Kapoor, and his nephew, Arjun Kapoor, appeared as guests on his show, "The Anupam Kher Show - Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai."
Sharing the incident, Kher recalled that Javed (Javed Akhtar) told him that Amrish Puri would be playing Mogambo in the movie.
"I felt really bad," he said.
Over the years, Kher ended up becoming very good friends with Anil, and he finally confessed that it was he who got Kher out of the movie.
"See, I did a good think na. Amrish Ji did such a fantastic job as Mogambo," Anil told Kher.
Mogambo continues to remain one of the most iconic villains in the history of Indian cinema. His famous dialogue, "Mogambo Khush Hua", has been inked in the memory of movie buffs.
Made under the direction of Shekhar Kapur and produced jointly by Boney Kapoor and Surinder Kapoor under the Narsimha Enterprises banner, "Mr India features Anil, Sridevi, and Amrish Puri as the core cast.
The film shares the story of Arun Verma (Played by Anil), a humble violinist and philanthropist, who stumbles upon a special cloaking device. In order to pay his debts, Arun rents out his house to journalist Seema Sahni (Played by Sridevi) and falls in love with her. However, these two are unaware that Mogambo (Played by Amrish Puri) has plans to conquer India.
"Mr. India" has become a milestone in Hindi cinema.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, this is why I love old Bollywood stories. The fact that Anupam Kher held onto this for years and then casually dropped it on his own show is pure gold. But let's be real - Amrish Puri IS Mogambo. His dialogue delivery was so powerful that even today, kids imitate "Mogambo Khush Hua" without knowing the film. Some roles are just destined for certain actors.
Interesting revelation, but I wonder if Anupam Kher would have actually accepted the role if offered, given that he was already established in serious, character-driven roles by then. Mogambo required a larger-than-life presence that Amrish Puri perfected. Also, respect to Anil Kapoor for being honest about it later. Bollywood friendships are complicated, man! 😄
This is why Mr. India remains timeless - perfect casting all around. Amrish Puri ji brought such menace and gravitas to Mogambo that it overshadowed even the lead actors at times. And Anupam Kher? He found his own legendary path. Imagine the parallel universe where he played Mogambo - we'd probably be saying "Anupam Kher Khush Hua" instead! 😂
A bit disappointed that Anupam Kher didn't get the role back then, but let's be fair - Amrish Puri's performance was legendary. However, this does make me think about how often actors lose out on iconic roles due to industry politics. Anil Kapoor admitting it shows he has a good heart, but still... Bollywood can be quite cutthroat. Glad both actors found success eventually.
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