What! Dimple Kapadia expresses her regret for refusing to star opposite Amitabh Bachchan due to lesser pay

MUMBAI: Actor Dimple Kapadia has had many stops and starts in her career, but the biggest pause came after she married the superstar Rajesh Khanna, who reportedly forbid her from acting even though she showed immense promise after debuting with the hit film Bobby. 

Also read - Dimple Kapadia: You can't do a decent performance if you're not given the meat

She made a return to cinema in the year 1985, which is also when she spoke candidly about her unpleasant marriage and her comeback.

In an interview with Filmfare, Dimple spoke about her contemporaries in the film industry, and declared that Amitabh Bachchan was by far the most talented actor around. 

She also expressed regret at turning down the opportunity to work alongside him in director Manmohan Desai’s Mard, mainly because she didn’t accept the terms being offered to her. The hit film went on to feature Amrita Singh.

In the interview, Dimple said that it was foolish of her to choose Pataal Bhairavi, starring Jeetendra, instead. “Amitabh is undoubtedly the best,” she said, adding, “No one has his kind of range and style. And above all, he has impeccable timing, the hallmark of a great actor.” 

She continued, “Yes, I think he’s simply terrific, and it was bloody stupid of me to refuse Manmohan Desai’s Mard opposite him. I am really crazy, you know. Here I turn down a Manmohan Desai film and on the other hand, I go an accept a stupid song and dance in Paatal Bhairavi for no earthly reason. I could have cried and run off when I turned up on the sets and realised what they expected me to do. Imagine prancing around like a monkey just for cash. And yet I turned down an offer with Amitabh just because we couldn’t agree on what I should be paid!”

Also read - Dimple Kapadia walked off the sets of 'Saas, Bahu aur Flamingo' to take a flight back home

In the same interview, Dimple also spoke about Amitabh’s wife, Jaya Bachchan, and said that she always admired her because she was so ‘cool’ and ‘effortless’, and ‘not at all like other filmi heroines’. Dimple and Amitabh went on to work together in the films Ajooba, Hum Kaun Hai? and more recently, Brahmastra.

For more news and updates from the world of television, OTT and movies, stay tuned to TellyChakkar.

Credits - The Indian Express