Jaya Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna’s Reported Dispute Halted ‘Bawarchi’ Shoot, Recalls Actor Raju Shrestha

Shrestha, popularly known as Master Raju, shared the anecdote in a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan. He said the incident occurred during the filming of Bawarchi, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, and resulted in shooting being paused for some time.

“I don’t remember everything clearly because it happened long ago,” Shrestha said. “But I do remember that the shoot had to be stopped due to an argument. The issue was related to Amitabh Bachchan.”

At the time, Amitabh Bachchan was still in the early phase of his career. Though he did not appear on screen in Bawarchi, he served as the film’s narrator. Rajesh Khanna played the title role of Raghu, while Jaya Bachchan portrayed Krishna.

According to Shrestha, Khanna allegedly made remarks about Amitabh Bachchan that upset Jaya, who was close to him. He recalled Khanna questioning Jaya’s friendship with Amitabh, reportedly saying, “Why are you befriending him? What is going to happen to him? I am Rajesh Khanna.”

The exchange reportedly escalated, leading Jaya Bachchan to leave the set for her makeup room. Production was paused briefly before discussions helped resume filming.

The episode unfolded during a pivotal phase in Hindi cinema. Rajesh Khanna was then the reigning superstar, with a string of box office successes to his credit. However, Amitabh Bachchan’s breakthrough came the following year with Zanjeer (1973), which marked the rise of the “angry young man” persona. Subsequent films such as Deewaar, Sholay and Namak Haraam cemented his position at the top of the industry, signalling a shift in stardom.

Shrestha also recounted another anecdote reflecting Khanna’s stature and personality. He claimed that when actor Akshay Kumar once visited Khanna’s residence, the veteran star reportedly declined to come downstairs, saying, “I am his father-in-law; he is not my father-in-law. He will come to me.”

Neither Jaya Bachchan nor representatives of the late Rajesh Khanna have publicly commented on the recollections.

The incident offers a glimpse into the competitive atmosphere of the Hindi film industry during a transformative era, when careers and reputations were often shaped as much by personal dynamics as by performances on screen.