History Of Double Role In Bollywood – Chapter 1

Double Roles popularly known as dual roles have always fascinated film buffs and Bollywood has minted money rehashing the same subject with new generation stars. In fact, Double roles in Bollywood have played a key element in Bollywood and filmmakers have utilized it often to make super hit films. Indian Film Cinema goes down memory lane and traces the History of Double Role In Bollywood.

Father of Indian Cinema Dadasaheb Phalke started double role trend

Dadasaheb Phalke, the Father of Indian Cinema, started the trend of double roles. In 1917, he cast Anna Salunke in a dual role in his film Lanka Dahan. This marked the beginning of a cinematic trope that would endure. Some other films based on double roles are Patni Pratap (1923), Kashmiri Sundari (1925), Awara Shahzada (1932).

Ashok Kumar’s Mahal set trend for reincarnation movies

Kamal Amrohi revolutionized cinema with Mahal (1949), introducing a new theme of reincarnation that captivated audiences. The film starred Ashok Kumar and Madhubala in dual roles, depicting characters reborn in the present after a past-life separation. Mahal’s golden jubilee success catapulted Lata Mangeshkar to stardom with the iconic song “Aayega Aanewala”.

The success of the movie opened a flood gate of double role films based on the theme of reincarnation like Bimal Roy’s Madhumati staring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala, Neel Kamal (Raaj Kumar and Waheeda Rehman), Milan (Sunil Dutt and Nutan), Mehbooba (Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini), Kudrat (Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini), Tumhare Liye (Sanjeev Kumar and Vidya Sinha), Karan Arjun (Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, Om Shanti Om (Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone and the latest Raabta (Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon) etc the list is long.