When Amitabh Bachchan questioned director Rajiv Rai for making Kajol the killer in Gupt

when Amitabh Bachchan questioned Kajol being the killer in Gupt

Rajiv Rai’s 1997 thriller Gupt: The Hidden Truth remains one of Bollywood’s most iconic suspense dramas, primarily for its jaw-dropping twist — Kajol, the film’s seemingly innocent heroine, was revealed to be the murderer.

The bold choice to cast a female lead in the role of a cold-blooded killer was revolutionary at the time and challenged long-held tropes in Hindi cinema. However, the decision wasn’t met with universal approval. In fact, it drew sharp concern from none other than Amitabh Bachchan himself.

In a candid conversation on the Ravi Buleiy Official YouTube channel, Rajiv Rai recalled an intriguing incident involving a private screening of Gupt in Chennai.

Amitabh Bachchan had attended the trial show and promptly phoned the director the following morning with pressing concerns.

“He said, ‘Rajiv, are you convinced with what you have done in this film? You have made Kajol the killer, are you sure? How can you be so sure?’ So in one way, as a senior, he scolded me,” Rai revealed.

“Mere ko daant padi. He is a senior, he can obviously scold me."

Despite Bachchan’s reservations, Rai held his ground. “He questioned me, ‘How are you so confident that this will work?’ I told him, ‘Sir, I don’t have an answer for your questions. It is Wednesday already, please wait for 2 days, you will get your answer.’”

And indeed, he was right. Gupt released to both critical acclaim and box office success, with Kajol winning the Filmfare Award for Best Villain — a historic first for an actress in that category.

Rai also shared memories of his earlier collaborations with Bachchan, having worked as an assistant director on legendary films like Trishul and Kaala Patthar. He later developed a script with Anees Bazmee tailored for the superstar during a difficult period in Bachchan’s career in the early 1990s.

“He said that the phase that I am going through right now, I don’t want to do any films. He was not going through a good phase then,” Rai noted.

Also Read: Alia Bhatt hints at Alpha entry in War 2 with playful Instagram post: 'See you in cinema near meee'

“He was confused, and in that confusion, he said no. He is not a confused man but his circumstances were such.”

Heartbroken by the rejection, Rai redirected his creative energy into Mohra with Suniel Shetty. Released in 1994, the action-packed film became a massive hit and, along with Gupt, solidified Rai’s reputation as one of the boldest filmmakers of the 90s.