Renowned filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra recently shared an intriguing anecdote from his early days in Bollywood, shedding light on his first encounter with legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. Speaking at a chat session at the Kellog Management School, Chopra reminisced about the time when he approached Bachchan for a movie recommendation, thanks to a nod from director Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
The filmmaker recalled his initial interaction with Bachchan, confessing to being rather blunt in his approach. However, Chopra’s primary motive wasn’t to discuss film projects; instead, he harbored a peculiar ambition – to use Bachchan’s washroom in his vanity van, a rumored luxury of the time.
Despite the rocky start, Bachchan eventually watched Chopra’s film and expressed interest in collaborating. But fate had other plans as Chopra received a lucrative government contract, prompting him to postpone the Bachchan project temporarily.
Years later, Chopra and Bachchan finally joined forces for the movie “Eklavya: The Royal Guard.” Chopra even gifted Bachchan a Rolls-Royce as a token of appreciation for enduring his occasional outbursts during filming. This fascinating journey underscores the unpredictable yet rewarding nature of Bollywood collaborations.