Raj Babbar @73, grew close to Rekha: Removed from Amitabh's films, public cried “shoot him” after watching rape scenes; rose from villain to people's leader.

Actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar is counted among the finest actors in the film industry. However, at the beginning of his career, he had to take up minor roles in several films. His biggest break was supposed to be in Dilip Kumar’s film Shakti, but eventually, Amitabh Bachchan replaced him in the film.

Not only that, due to Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Babbar also missed out on director Prakash Mehra’s Namak Halaal. B.R. Chopra’s film Insaaf Ka Tarazu remains one of the most memorable films of Raj Babbar’s career.

He played a negative role in the film—one that several stars had previously refused. Raj Babbar portrayed the villainous character with such intensity that audiences began to hate him for it.

Got only ₹500 for a second lead role in a film

At the beginning of his career, Raj Babbar played minor roles in around 14 films, a few of which were released. One of them was Sharada, directed by Lekh Tandon, starring Jeetendra and Rameshwari in lead roles.

In an interview with India TV, Raj Babbar said, “I was paid only ₹500 for Sharada. Technically, I was the second lead opposite Sarika, but my face appears only at the end of the film. When Jeetendra grabs me, I just had one line: ‘Didn’t you recognize me?’ Sarika responds, ‘He’s the one.’ That was it.”

Rose to fame as a villain, audiences began to hate him

Raj Babbar’s breakthrough as an actor came with the film Insaaf Ka Tarazu, in which he played the role of a rapist. Many actors had refused to take on the role before him.

He portrayed the character so convincingly that audiences began to despise him. After watching the rape scenes in the film, some viewers even said, “This actor should be shot.”

Couldn’t get the rapist’s character out of his mind

Raj Babbar shared, “When I reached B.R. Chopra’s office, he told me he was making a film and had already spoken to Zeenat. When he narrated the story, my mind got stuck on the character of Ramesh. I came from a theatre background—I didn’t think in terms of hero or villain. I just wanted strong roles. I silently prayed I’d get to play Ramesh. After the narration, Chopra sahab himself said, ‘You’re playing Ramesh.’”

Leading actresses used to ‘screen’ their heroes

“Just like girls are screened before marriage today, top actresses used to choose whom they’d work with,” he said. “In my first meeting with Zeenat ji, she immediately agreed to work with me. She asked me, ‘You don’t have a problem, right? I have a good role, so I’ll do it.’”

Didn’t have a good shirt for the photoshoot

When a photoshoot was arranged for the film, Raj Babbar didn’t have a proper shirt. Ravi Chopra’s wife, Renu bhabhi, gave him one of Ravi ji’s shirts. That very shirt was used for his photoshoot with Zeenat Aman and Deepak Parashar. The same shirt is seen on the film’s poster.