Long before Marvel brought their Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Captain America to the big screen, India got their very own superhero- Mr India. The 1987 superhero drama was directed by maverick director Shekhar Kapoor, and it starred Anil Kapoor in the titular role. Mr India became a cult-classic blockbuster and is still regarded as one of the best movies from the 80s.
Written by the former dynamic writer-duo Salim-Javed, the movie was layered with laughter, emotional, and dramatic moments along with a social commentary. Mr India proved to be a landmark film for many artists associated with the film. However, the journey of this movie isn't easy, and there was a time when the movie was been made with a superstar, but he decided not to take up the project.
Mr India was originally offered to...
Believe it or not, the first choice for Mr India was Amitabh Bachchan. Yes, producer Boney Kapoor revealed in a TOI interview that the film was supposed to happen with Amitabh Bachchan in the lead and Sholay director Ramesh Sippy to helm the film. However, as per the reports, the actor wasn't keen to lead a project about an invisible hero on the big screen.
As Indian Express quoted an excerpt from a Marathi book Yahi Rang, Yahi Roop, Amitabh wasn't sure if an invisible-man concept would work as his fans came to the theatres to see him. However, Javed Akhtar was sure that his voice could do wonders at the box office. But, ultimately, Amitabh Bachchan refused the film, and GP Sippy also backed out from producing it. Later, Boney Kapoor decided to produce the film, with Anil Kapoor in the lead role, and the rest is history.
Mr India also stars Amrish Puri as the famous antagonist Mogambo along with Sridevi, Satish Kaushik, and Sharat Saxena, along with Aftab Sidhvasani, and Ahmed Khan as child artists.
