Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, The Legend of Bhagat Singh is a biographical period drama film based on the life of Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Ajay Devgn's act as the titular character is counted among the best performances in his career and he even won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the 2002 film.
But it's interesting that the Maidaan actor wasn't Rajkumar Santoshi's first choice to play Bhagat Singh. The filmmaker wanted to collaborate again with Aamir Khan, whom he had directed in the 1994 cult classic Andaz Apna Apna, but the superstar refused to portray the freedom fighter on screen. Aamir shared the reason for the same when he came to The Great Indian Kapil Show earlier this year.
"Bhagat Singh ji is a very important historical figure. He was a unique human being. What he did at the age of 22-23, we can’t even think about it. His courage. He was fearless. That’s a very rare quality. Its beauty was that you see a young 23-year-old on the witness stand, whose mustache has not sprouted, making such big statements. If I stood there, I was already turning 40 at the time, it wouldn’t have looked good. That quality of a young guy saying such things won’t come to me. I told Raj (Rajkumar Santoshi) to cast some young boy in his early twenties. That is Bhagat Singh. That's why I didn't do it", the actor said.
But, Santoshi didn't heed to Khan's suggestion and offered the film to the then 33-year-old Ajay Devgn. Apart from Ajay winning the National Award, The Legend of Bhagat Singh also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The film also starred Raj Babbar, Amrita Rao, Farida Jalal, Sushant Singh, D. Santosh, and Akhilendra Mishra in key roles.
READ | Not Sholay, Mughal-e-Azam, Lagaan, 3 Idiots, RRR, this was first Indian film to be screened at United Nations
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