Before signing his first film Saat Hindustani, Amitabh Bachchan had signed Reshma Aur Shera. Though it was delayed in release, Amitabh Bachchan remembers Reshma Aur Shera as his first.
As known widely, he was a struggling actor and was excluded by many directors in auditions. With the help of his mother’s friend and a film actress Nargis, he bagged his first film Saat Hindustani. Before this entire incident transpired, Amitabh’s mother had run her contacts and thus, Indira Gandhi had written a letter to her friend Nargis mentioning Amitabh’s interest in acting. Sunil Dutt, Nargis’s husband, had signed Amitabh Bachchan for Reshma Aur Shera and this was Amitabh’s first break in the industry. But, somehow the film release got delayed and Saat Hindustani came first and achieved the credit to be Amitabh’s first film.
Resham Aur Shera’s Shooting Locations
Reshma Aur Shera was shot in Pochina, a tiny village near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. This was an early film for Amitabh Bachchan, then considered a ‘flop actor.’ Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman starred as Shera and Reshma. Big B and Vinod Khanna played Shera’s brothers, Chotu and Vijay. Ranjeet and Raakhee also had pivotal roles.
The entire cast and crew lived in tents in the village throughout the shoot. They shot for many months in the difficult desert facing bitter cold in winters, scorching heat in summers and terrible sand storms.
Reshma Aur Shera, now a classic, faced heavy criticism upon release. Sunil Dutt’s 12-year-old-son, Sanjay Dutt, debuted in it. Amitabh Bachchan, a huge fan of Waheeda Rehman, worried about her walking barefoot on scorching sand dunes during a shoot. When the director yelled ‘CUT,’ Amitabh immediately grabbed her sandals and ran to her. He still cherishes that moment as a true fan.
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