Yash Chopra’s 1984 released film
“Mashaal” served as a pivotal turning point in Anil Kapoor’s career, offering him the massive opportunity to share the screen with the legendary Dilip Kumar. Kapoor confessed in interviews that the sheer pressure of working with the thespian left him overwhelmed with fear. He described the intensity of the experience by stating, “he felt as if he had lost weight just listening to the script,” highlighting the immense intimidation he felt regarding the performance expected of him.
Following the release, notwithstanding the film’s modest commercial performance, the impact of his role was massive, with magazines hailing him with the headline “A Star is Born”.
Anil Kapoor noted that while his previous film Woh Saat Din released in 1983 brought him appreciation,
Marshal was the film that elevated him to an A-grade actor.
On the night of the release of ‘Mashaal’, Anil Kapoor signed Feroz Khan’s ‘Jaanbaaz’ and Subhash Ghai’s ‘Meri Jung’, after which he became a star.
Anil was so overwhelmed to work opposite Dilip Kumar that the pressure felt physically demanding, leading to the feeling that he was losing weight simply by hearing the script and understanding the gravity of his role.
Kapoor played a street-side thug who transforms into an honest journalist, a role that won him his first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.
The film is remembered for Dilip Kumar’s outstanding acting, particularly in the emotional, rain-swept scene in which his character cries out for help on a lonely street. The film was a critical success, establishing Kapoor as a serious actor and a bankable star.
News Edit KV Raman
