Mumbai, July 27 (UNI) This day marks the 33rd death anniversary of Amjad Khan, the legendary actor whose chilling portrayal of Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975) remains etched in the annals of Indian cinema.
His name remains inseparable from that of Gabbar Singh, the dreaded dacoit whose gravelly voice, menacing stare and ruthless swagger turned him into a cultural archetype.
Born on November 12, 1940 into a family of Pashtun heritage, Khan was the son of actor Jayant and the elder brother of actor Imtiaz Khan. A polymath of sorts, Khan earned master’s degrees in both Philosophy and Persian Literature, acquiring fluency in multiple languages including Urdu, English and Persian. He used to win prizes both as actor and as director at the inter-collegiate theatre festivals. His command over language, emotion and rhetoric became signature traits in his screen work.
Although he began his acting journey as a child artiste alongside his father in films like “Nazneen” (1951) and “Ab Dilli Dur Nahin” (1957), it wasn’t until Sholay that the actor carved his name in cinematic immortality.
As Gabbar Singh, the terrifying dacoit of the Chambal ravines, Khan redefined villainy with a sinister charm and raw ferocity that Indian audiences had never witnessed before. Dialogues like “Kitney aadmi they?” (“How many men were there?”), “Yeh haath humko de de, Thakur.” (“Give me these arms, Thakur.”), “Jo darr gaya, samjho mar gaya.” (“If you are scared, consider yourself dead.”), “Betey so ja. So ja nahi toh Gabbar Singh aa jayega.” (“Sleep, son. Sleep, or else Gabbar Singh will come.”) are today part of India’s cultural lexicon.
Ironically, Khan made an unpromising beginning on the set of the movie. He struggled to perform and was unable to deliver a complete take in the early days of filming, prompting the writers of Sholay, Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar (known as Salim-Javed), to advise director Ramesh Sippy to drop him. He had also been cast on Salim-Javed’s recommendation. Sippy, however, chose to stick with him, and that conviction paid off.
He worked in over 132 films in a career spanning nearly twenty years.
Yet, Amjad Khan’s artistry was never confined to a single archetype. In “Shatranj Ke Khiladi” (1977), under the discerning eye of Satyajit Ray, he played the melancholic Nawab Wajid Ali Shah with a grace that critics continue to laud.
He brought vulnerability and grace to a monarch on the brink of extinction. In 1979, he portrayed Emperor Akbar in the film “Meera”.
He played many positive roles such as in “Yaarana” (1981) and “Laawaris” (1981) as Amitabh Bachchan’s friend and father respectively. He also played vital roles in “Rocky” (1981) and “Commander” (1981).
In the art film “Utsav” (1984), he portrayed Vatsayana, the author of the Kama Sutra. In 1988, he appeared in the Merchant Ivory English language film The “Perfect Murder” as an underworld don. He excelled at playing comical characters in films such as “Qurbani” (1980), “Love Story” and “Chameli Ki Shaadi” (1986). In 1991, he reprised his role as Gabbar Singh in “Ramgarh Ke Sholay”, a parody of the legendary film which included look-alikes of Dev Anand and Amitabh Bachchan.
He ventured into directing for a brief period in the 1980s, directing and starring in “Chor Police” (1983) and “Ameer Aadmi Gareeb Aadmi” (1985). Neither of the films did well at the box office.
He won the best supporting actor in the BFJA Awards for Sholay in 1976. Apart from that, he won best supporting actor at the Filmfare awards for “Dada” (1980) and “Yaarana” (1982). Khan also won best performance in a comedic role at the Filmfare awards for “Maa Kasam” (1986). A respected figure off-screen too, he served as president of the Actors Guild Association, advocating for better working conditions and unity within the fraternity.
Tragedy struck in 1976 when he suffered a serious car accident, followed years later by a diagnosis of Bell’s palsy. Steroid treatment wreaked havoc on his health and on July 27, 1992, at the age of 51, he succumbed to a massive heart attack.
In 1972, he married Shaila Khan, the daughter of Urdu poet and screenwriter Akhtar ul Iman and he is survived by his three children, Shadaab, Seemab and Ahlam.
In the last phase of his fcareer, he wanted to make a film with his friend Amitabh Bachchan titled, “Lambai Chaudai” but his dream remained unfulfilled.
