Did You Know Gabbar Singh Was Amitabh Bachchan’s Best Friend?

In an interview Amitabh Bachchan expressed that he was missing his best friend and he was none other than Amjad Khan, better known as Gabbar Singh.

Their friendship goes back to Sholay days. Amitabh Bachchan said he had liked the role of Gabbar Singh and saw the endearing presence of Amjad Khan who suit the role to perfection . He had a pleasing personality and likeable from day one.

Salim-Javed the duo writer team had recommended him after they had seen him on the stage and had spoken very highly of his talent.  The Superstar was in all admiration for the actor who essayed the role of Gabbar Singh the wanted dacoit whose acting was so realistic that gave shivers to viewers watching him on the screen.!!  His style of acting and performing capabilities was much admired and the persona in which he carried himself but the director of the film felt his voice was too feeble for the frame he carried so large.!  But he proved all wrong, as that very voice was the pivotal part of his character and film. His dialogues till date are so popular and have remained in the memory of the audience and people.

Amjad Khan though looked so tough with his looks as the dreaded villain had the softest heart, he would be hurt when friends betrayed him. The tea industry of India need to acknowledge him as he drank gallons of it during the day. Tea was a must!

A very intelligent actor who had interest in not just English but also Urdu poetry and his love for semi classical music was a part of his daily routine.  He enjoyed Ghazal evenings and was often organizing Ghazal programs on the terrace of his Bandra home.  He was in his highest element then.

Amjad Khan was also known for a generous heart and he voluntarily offered help to people from all walks of his life, not just his friends for whom he was always available.  There were times he would work on a project not for the money he would get for it but as a financial help to some struggling film personality, knowing well that this kind of support by him could have been harmful for his own career and his commercial standing in the film industry. He was one actor who was willing to put his reputation at stake to help a friend or an unknown in need in a world of today that is hard and indifferent.

It is sad that a person like him who went all out to help anyone and everyone had met with an accident near Goa and it was ironic that there was no one besides him. He was in a bad shape as the accident had occurred many miles away from the city.  His wife and son Shadaab were the only ones with him stranded on the highway asking for help. It is sad that , by the time he was shifted to the city hospital in Panjim he was already slipping into coma.

Amitabh Bachchan narrates that the most difficult moment in his life was to sign the document on the behalf of his family and his family to go ahead with the surgical procedure to be initiated. His other family members were in Mumbai and could not have reached on time and those who were working with him were not ready to sign and take the risk.

The hours of surgery were filled with anxiety that they went through, recalls Amitabh Bachchan as his bones had to be repaired and his lungs needed to be pierced. It was a nightmare until he made it out of the operation theatre. A tough cookie that he was he made it to Mumbai soon after to recuperate at Nanavati Hospital.  It was sad to see a tough man like him go through this and it was difficult for Bachchan to actually take courage to go and see him. Lying weak and defeated sorts, until Amjad Khan himself wrote a note from his bed, the content is very private and cannot be disclosed but that made me want to go and see him and be with him immediately.  “My best buddy had that twinkle back in his eyes and his ever present banter was back!!” says Amitabh Bachchan.

Amitabh Bachchan recalls the making of the film Parvarish by Manmohan Desai , the climax scene was in a mock submarine.  As everyone knows the temperament of Manmohanji’s films, other than him every one found his ideas quite illogical but he would have the last laugh as his illogic eventually rattled the cash registers at the box office !!! and Parvarish was no different.

Shammi Kapoor, VinodKhanna, Amjad Khan and Amitabh Bachchan were the only artists on the sets who were Librans and the they sang to the tune of ‘ We are crazy Libran’s became their signature song that would instantly bring in lot of good laughs.!! They would sing it to the tune of a famous world war II British battle song. !

When Amitabh Bachchan was seriously injured in 1982 during the making of the iconic film Coolie, as he was lying in the ICU, Amjad Khan is said to have walked in at the Breach Candy hospital and burst into ,”WE are Crazy Libran’s and it was for the first time perhaps the actor in pain and in discomfort had a smile and had seen the nurses smile and chuckle too

Amjad Khan left so suddenly so unexpectedly without any warning and had died in his sleep.  It was very difficult for Amitabh Bachchan to accept that he was gone, muses the superstar Bachchan. Losing a great friend, a companion and a much loved colleague who just lay there in his deep sleep never to wake up again . “As I saw him lying cold there I hoped he would get up and say ‘ HI Shorty’” ,   but that was not to be. what we are left ultimately are only memories of the beautiful friendship and a good human being.