Amitabh Bachchan's Cinematic Victory- The Birth Of The Bollywood 'Shahenshah' In 1988

The movie 'Shahenshah,' starring Amitabh Bachchan and Meenakshi Sheshadri, was released on February 12, 1988. Directed by Tinnu Anand, the movie featured iconic actors who played well-known villain roles like Kader Khan, Pran, and Amrish Puri.

Amitabh Bachchan, known for delivering memorable dialogues in his film career, gained immense popularity for his line in 'Shahenshah' - 'Rishte mein to hum tumhaare baap lagate hain naam hai Shahenshah' (In relation, we seem like your fathers. The name is Shahenshah). This dialogue became a hit and is still remembered by people today.

The story of Shahenshah revolves around Vijay, a corrupt police officer by day and a vigilante security guard fighting against the forces of evil and injustice by night. The film was a hit, and the pairing of Amitabh Bachchan and Meenakshi Sheshadri was well-received by audience. After the success of 'Shahenshah,' many producers and directors wanted to cast Amitabh and Meenakshi together in their films. The movie marked a significant point in Amitabh Bachchan's career, and he came to be known by the name 'Shahenshah of bollywood' after the movie's release. Returning to acting after a stint in politics, this movie played a pivotal role in Amitabh's career. Initially, Jackie Shroff was supposed to play the lead role in movie, but Amitabh's return to the movie industry led to a change in casting.

There was a controversy during the shoot regarding a scene where Amitabh wanted to wear a blazer instead of a police uniform. Eventually, after much persuasion, he agreed to wear the police uniform. 

The film's music was composed by Amar-Utpal, and the lyrics were penned by Anand Bakshi. The story was written by Jaya Bachchan, and the screenplay was by Indra Raj Anand, who happened to be Tinnu Anand's father.

'Shahenshah' emerged as the second-highest-grossing movie of that year in 1988, making it a huge success.