Deewar Breaks Down Between Salim, Big B

Amitabh Bachchan makes up with Salim Khan and credits the stalwart with shaping his career as a ‘Angry Young Man.’

Amitabh Bachchan may have faults, but arrogance is not one of them. In Open’s Independence Day special, while reminiscing about making Sholay 35 years ago, its co-writer Salim Khan had said that he now had ‘no relationship with Amitabh Bachchan’  because Big B had credited his being cast in the movie to Dharmendra. “The truth is that I kept a trial of Zanjeer for the Sippy family so they could see what Amitabh was made of. I introduced him to Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai. The ‘Angry Young Man’ was my discovery,” Khan had said. 

In a mark of humility, Amitabh immediately made amends. On 24 August, in the tabloid Mumbai Mirror, he accepted Khan’s role in shaping his career. Bachchan said, “I am extremely sorry if Salim sahib has felt otherwise. He has been a respected senior for me and shall always remain one.”

After this apology, Open got in touch with Khan. Though he hadn’t spoken to the actor as yet, Bachchan’s response touched him. He said, “I can only quote Prophet Muhammad. He once said that when two people work together, Khuda (God) comes between them. When they grow apart, Shaitan (Devil) comes between them. And when a person becomes aware of his mistake and apologises for it, Khuda comes closer to him. My respect for Amitabh has grown.”

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Shradha Sukumaran