FILM · 2013 · INDIA
Aurangzeb
17 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (17)
- #001
Prithviraj Sukumaran signed a two-film deal with Yash Raj Films following his first Hindi film, Aiyyaa (2013). Aurangzeb (2013) was the first project under that agreement. While the actor remained contracted to the studio for a second feature, the follow-up project never materialised in the years after this film.
- #002
Sushant Singh Rajput initially auditioned for the role of Arya and impressed the production team, but the part ultimately went to Prithviraj Sukumaran. Reports stated that Rajput turned down the initial offer because it required a strict three-film talent management contract with Yash Raj Films. Despite that early friction, the actor eventually accepted the studio's terms and made his debut with them the same year in the romantic comedy Shuddh Desi Romance (2013).
- #003
Sasha Agha, the daughter of actor and singer Salma Agha, makes her acting debut with this film. She plays the character Kira and also contributes to the soundtrack as the playback singer of the song Barbadiyaan.
- #004
Rishi Kapoor and Jackie Shroff acted together in this film for the first time in 23 years, after their collaboration in Azaad Desh Ke Gulam (1990). Although both actors share top billing in the cast, they do not appear together in a single scene throughout the film.
- #005
The title refers to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who ruled from 1658 to 1707 and is historically known for the ruthless methods he used to seize and consolidate power. This historical parallel provides the thematic foundation for the film, which explores excessive ambition, the corruption of power and how far individuals will go to maintain control within a modern crime and corporate empire. Writer and director Atul Sabharwal chose the name to signal that the characters' motivations mirror the emperor's calculating and uncompromising nature.
- #006
Arjun Kapoor plays the dual roles of Ajay and Vishal in this production. The film marks the first time in the actor's career that he took on a double role. He later played dual characters again in the 2017 release Mubarakan.
- #007
Jackie Shroff and Amrita Singh appear together in this film for the first time in 20 years. Their previous collaboration was the 1993 drama Aaina, produced by Yash Raj Films. Singh had taken a long break from acting from the early 1990s, and Aurangzeb (2013) marks the on-screen reunion of two veteran actors who frequently shared the screen in films such as Mard (1985) and Sadak Chha (1987) in the 1980s and early 1990s.
- #008
Sikandar Kher plays the character Dev Phogat, marking the first time in the actor's career that he took on a negative role. Kher underwent a significant physical transformation for the part, gaining around 15 kilos to achieve a more imposing on-screen appearance. The performance differed from his earlier turns in films such as Woodstock Villa and Players, where he typically played heroic leads or ensemble members. Director Atul Sabharwal cast Kher specifically to provide a formidable obstacle to the dual protagonists played by Arjun Kapoor.
- #009
Aurangzeb (2013) marks the first time Anupam Kher and his son Sikandar Kher acted in the same film. Although both actors are part of the cast, they do not share a single scene together. Anupam Kher plays Vijay Kant Phogat, a high-ranking police officer, while Sikandar Kher plays Inspector Dev Phogat.
- #010
Shraddha Kapoor turned down the role of Ritu in order to take the lead as Aarohi in Aashiqui 2 (2013). The production schedules of the two films clashed, which required her to leave the project. Yash Raj Films then cast Sasha Aagha in her place, which became Aagha's debut in the industry.
- #011
Aurangzeb (2013) marks Amrita Singh's return to the screen after a five-year break from active production. Although Kajraare was released in 2011, that project faced significant delays and sat on the shelf for several years before receiving a limited release. Singh had previously appeared in the 2007 film Shootout at Lokhandwala, which was her first contemporary production in more than half a decade.
- #012
After her debut in Aurangzeb (2013), Sasha Agha appeared in the 2014 film Desi Kattey and the 2015 film Khamoshiyan.
- #013
Prithviraj Sukumaran appears in a Hindi film for the second time following his debut in Aiyyaa (2012). He performs his own Hindi dialogue to preserve the authenticity of the police officer Arya Phogat, who serves as the narrator. Although the actor is primarily known for his work in Malayalam cinema, he preferred that his voice not be dubbed by a native speaker in order to keep the performance consistent with the Haryanvi police officer role.
- #014
Aurangzeb (2013) received a limited international theatrical release that included Canada. The film premiered on 17 May 2013 at Strawberry Hill Cinemas in Surrey, British Columbia. Yash Raj Films distributed the title to selected North American markets to target the South Asian diaspora, choosing Surrey in particular because of its dense Punjabi- and Hindi-speaking population.
- #015
Aurangzeb (2013) serves as a thematic homage to the 1978 film Don and the 1982 drama Shakti. It explores the conflict between a crime empire and law enforcement through a dual-role narrative device. The screenplay focuses on the rapid urbanisation of Gurgaon and the National Capital Region, using real estate development as a front for organised crime.
- #016
Director Atul Sabharwal instructed his cinematography team to use a soft colour palette composed primarily of greys, browns and steel blues. This aesthetic decision emphasises Gurgaon's "concrete jungle" setting and reflects the moral ambiguity of the main characters. The visual style contrasts the modern industrial landscape with the bold nature of the crime drama.
- #017
To distinguish the two characters played by Arjun Kapoor, the wardrobe department designed 45 different suits for his portrayal of the wealthy, power-hungry Ajay, contrasting with Vishal's more modest clothing.
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