Dharmendra Got Drunk, Called Hrishikesh Mukherjee On Being Replaced With Rajesh Khanna In Anand: 'Why Did You?'

Rajesh Khanna may have made Anand an unforgettable icon in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1971 classic, but did you know he wasn’t the first choice for the role? Hrishikesh Mukherjee initially had Dharmendra in mind for the part. He even narrated the script to Dharmendra, who was all set to dive into the character. But in a shocking turn of events, Hrishikesh Mukherjee switched gears and handed the role to Rajesh Khanna instead, leaving Dharmendra feeling furious and betrayed. The veteran actor later opened up about this on The Kapil Sharma Show while promoting his grandson’s film.

He had said, “Hrishida had told me a story on a flight, Anand. While coming from Bangalore, he said to me that ‘we were going to do this’ and ‘we were going to do that’. And later, I found out that the movie had started rolling with Rajesh Khanna in the lead role.”

Upset with Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s decision, Dharmendra, after a few drinks, decided to confront the director by calling him repeatedly through the night. “I didn’t let Hrishida sleep the whole night. I told him, ‘You were going to give me the role, you told me the story, then why did you give him the film?’ He kept telling me, ‘Dharam, go to sleep, we will talk in the morning.’ He would cut the line and I would call him back asking, ‘Why did you give him the role?’” he recalled.

Recently, historian Dilip Thakur revealed to ETimes that, despite Rajesh Khanna’s busy schedule with back-to-back films, director Hrishikesh Mukherjee insisted on getting bulk dates from him. Khanna agreed, which led to Anand being filmed in just 28 days. “Hrishi Da insisted that Khanna give him his dates in bulk,” adding, “Anand’s shoot was completed in 28 days,” he recalled.

Anand (1971), directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, is a cult classic in Indian cinema, known for its poignant storytelling and powerful performances by Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Sumita Sanyal. The film tells the story of Anand, a terminally ill yet cheerful man who deeply affects those around him, especially his friend Dr. Bhaskar. It was widely acclaimed for its emotional depth, memorable dialogues such as “Zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi” (Life should be big, not long), and its timeless music by Salil Chowdhury. The film’s heartwarming narrative and impactful performances have made it a cherished part of Bollywood’s legacy.