Throwback: actor-Filmmaker Ram Sethi upons up on Prakash Mehra – Dev Anand, Raajkumar Dharmendra approached for Zanjeer

Throwback: actor-Filmmaker Ram Sethi upons up on Prakash Mehra – Dev Anand, Raajkumar
Dharmendra approached for Zanjeer

Actor turned producer Ram Sethi, who was popularly known as Pyarelal, played second fiddle to Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer, Muqqadar Ka Sikandar, Namak Halal, Yaarana and more movies.He started off as an assistant to director Prakash Mehra and eventually graduated to acting, starting off with the iconic Zanjeer, the very film that kick-started the Angry Young Man era and catapulted Amitabh Bachchan to superstar status. The film recently completed 50 years.

Ram Sethi, who still retains his infectious smile and joie de vivre at the age of 84, recalled the journey of Zanjeer and how it exchanged many hands before fatefully landing in Amitabh Bachchan’s kitty.

Ram Sethi revealed that here were many senior stars who were approached for the film including Raaj Kumr6 Sethi revealed, “Prakash MehraPran saab was stretched too far. Mehra realised that Raajkumar won’t do the film.”

With so many senior stars passing the opportunity to feature in the movie, Prakash Mehra changed his strategy. Sethi said, then they scouted for more actors and eventually someone suggested that they take a newcomer, Amitabh Bachchan. There was a Mehmood film (Bombay To Goa) in which Amitabh had given a good performance. Mehra watched that film and liked Amitabh. That’s how Zanjeer saw the light of day.

Sethi further recalldrŕŕ332 that a lot of people asked Prakash Mehra why he was starting his own banner’s first film with a newcomer? But Mehra was convinced about his hero, Amitabh Bachchan.
Sethi revealed that first edit of Zanjeer was far from perfect. In fact, it was almost a non-starter. He went on to add that said, “After the film was completed, follw4g trials they realised that the film was dragging.

Mehra was worried. Rakesh Kumar used to be Mehra’s Chief Assistant Director. Rakesh asked Mehra to give him a free hand to edit the film and show him a new version. Mehra was helpless, so he agreed.”
Sethi, who spent a good part of 20 years assisting Prakash Mehra recalled that it took a bit of random magic to make the classic movie. He said, “Rakesh Kumar took editor R Mahadik and reedited Zanjeer. In the trial that followed everyone praised the film.

News input KV Raman