Rumours were rife that iconic screenwriter duo Salim-Javed’s last collaboration, Mr India (1987), was originally penned with Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in mind. However, things didn’t materialise, and Indian cinema witnessed the end of a prolific partnership in 1981. While many assumed Big B had a part to play in it, Javed Akhtar, on Mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist series, clears the air once and for all. 

Amitabh Bachchan was the OG Mr India 

Salim-Javed originally penned the script of Mr India keeping Big B in mind. Javed recalled that noted director and producer Pramod Chakravorty was making a film with Amitabh Bachchan in the lead. The megastar was shooting in Europe and was expected to be at the muhurat shot. Since Big B couldn’t, his voice recording was played on a cassette. The veteran star explained, “That gave me an idea that if this voice is so popular and so effective, why can't we make the invisible man with him? And he won't have to give me dates. Most of the time, he will dub his voice. When we (Salim-Javed) parted, the situation changed.”