Sholay continues to stand as one of the most legendary films in Indian cinema, with Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra’s unforgettable chemistry as Jai and Veeru etched forever in the hearts of movie lovers.
Their friendship remains one of Bollywood’s most celebrated on-screen bonds. However, not many are aware that the iconic role of Jai was initially meant to be played by Shatrughan Sinha. Due to a series of unexpected events — including Amitabh Bachchan personally requesting Dharmendra to recommend him — the part eventually went to Amitabh.
In an old interview, Dharmendra confirmed his involvement in helping Amitabh land the role, revealing that he chose to speak about it publicly only after Amitabh himself had acknowledged his contribution.
Asked if the story was true, Dharmendra shared during his 2018 appearance on Aap Ki Adalat, “I've never spoken about this, but since Amitabh has started saying that I helped him get the role, I'll say it: yes, I did help him get the role. He used to come to me... But originally, the role was going to go to Shatrughan Sinha.”
He added that Shatrughan later questioned him about why he had suggested Amitabh’s name, to which Dharmendra replied, “Yaar, kuch samajh nahi aata, woh pehle aaya, socha chalo bechare ko de do (I don't know, since he came to me first I thought the poor guy should get it).”
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Shatrughan Sinha also addressed the matter years later during his appearance on Indian Idol 12, explaining, “During those times, I was continuously shooting for films which had two heroes and, somehow, we can call it a human error or my dates were an issue due to which I couldn’t sign the film Sholay. I’m sad but happy at the same time as due to Sholay, national icon Amitabh Bachchan, who is my dear friend, got such a big break.”
Further details were revealed in an old article by Scroll published in 2015, which noted that Amitabh Bachchan had been going through a rough patch in his career at the time, with a string of flops that made it difficult for him to secure roles.
Director Ramesh Sippy initially considered casting Shatrughan Sinha but eventually decided against it, feeling that his inclusion — alongside Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar — might create ego clashes between three major stars.
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Ramesh had already seen Bombay to Goa and Anand, where he was impressed by Amitabh’s potential. Meanwhile, Amitabh had approached Dharmendra to put in a good word for him. “The lobbying worked. Amitabh was cast as Jai,” the article stated.
The rest, as they say, is history. Sholay, also starring Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Amjad Khan, and Sanjeev Kumar, went on to become one of the most iconic films in Hindi cinema. It marked a major turning point in Amitabh Bachchan’s career, establishing him as one of the greatest actors in Indian film history.
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