Arka Evren

FILM · 2005 · INDIA

Bunty Aur Babli

24 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026

  1. #001

    The film serves as an extensive tribute to Amitabh Bachchan's filmography, with him appearing in the role of DCP Dashrath Singh. His son, Abhishek Bachchan, reenacts several scenes that directly reference his father's iconic characters. During the hotel con in Mussoorie, Abhishek Bachchan adopts the distinctive gravelly voice and mannerisms Amitabh Bachchan used in Agneepath (1990). In the Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) musical number Parda Hai Parda, in which Amitabh Bachchan also appeared, Abhishek Bachchan wears an outfit mirroring the costume worn by Rishi Kapoor.

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  2. #002

    The song "Kajra Re" marks the first time Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan came together in a single frame of a film. Although Rai appears only as a special guest, the sequence, which brought future family members together before her 2007 marriage to Abhishek Bachchan, became a significant cultural milestone.

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  3. #003

    The sequel Bunty Aur Babli 2 was released in 2021. Rani Mukerji reprised the role of Babli, while Saif Ali Khan replaced Abhishek Bachchan as the character Bunty.

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  4. #004

    The song I am in Love was originally composed for this film. The production team ultimately decided the track was too flamboyant for the story's rustic and earthy tone. The song was later used in Neal 'n' Nikki (2005).

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  5. #005

    During the mujra sequence, the song Salaam-E-Ishq from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) plays. Amitabh Bachchan appears in both films. The song's title was later used for the film Salaam-E-Ishq (2007), whose music was composed by the trio Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa, who were responsible for the music of Bunty Aur Babli (2005).

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  6. #006

    In the mujra hall scene, the song Dil Cheez Kya Hai from Umrao Jaan (1981) plays. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who appears in the special musical number Kajra Re, later played the title character in the 2006 remake Umrao Jaan (2006). The film's lead actor, Abhishek Bachchan, also appeared in that remake.

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  7. #007

    Aditya Chopra initially designed the lead roles with different actors in mind during the early stages of scriptwriting. The production team considered Saif Ali Khan and Aftab Shivdasani for the role of Bunty, but neither actor received a formal offer. The role ultimately went to Abhishek Bachchan.

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  8. #008

    In 2012, Uday Chopra planned an English-language remake of the film through Yash Raj Films' international division. The project, titled The 11. Hour, was reported to have begun initial talks with Michael Cera and Taylor Swift for the lead roles.

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  9. #009

    The horn-rimmed glasses and traditional outfits Babli wears to adopt a vintage persona reference the character Jassi from the popular Indian series Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin (2003).

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  10. #010

    A Hindu religious group known as Kranti Shiv Sena protested against the film over a scene in which actress Rani Mukerji wears a saffron-coloured dress. The organisation's president, Varun Singh, argued that the costume was offensive and insulted religious sentiments. Director Shaad Ali responded by stating that the film contained no religious activity that would warrant political backlash or provoke communal tension.

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  11. #011

    Aishwarya Rai Bachchan performed the "Kajra Re" number, but the original choice for the sequence was Sushmita Sen.

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  12. #012

    This production marks the only cinematic collaboration featuring both Amitabh Bachchan and Raj Babbar.

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  13. #013

    This production marks the final film appearance of actor Imtiyaz Khan. Known for his roles in Indian cinema throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Khan died in 2020, but this remained his last credited feature film role.

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  14. #014

    Alisha Chinai won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 2006 for "Kajra Re." Vaibhavi Merchant's choreography for the song was widely praised and won at the IIFA and Zee Cine Awards, but it did not win the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography; that year the honor went to Howard Rosemeyer for Parineeta.

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  15. #015

    Actress Rameshwari appears only briefly in the film, and her back stays turned to the camera throughout the scene. This remains her only film credit alongside Amitabh Bachchan.

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  16. #016

    As of 2020, Amitabh Bachchan had only made a film with Raj Babbar. They had previously been set to act together in Namak Halaal and Insaniyat.

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  17. #017

    Actor J. Brandon Hill took on the role of Harry after a chance meeting with director Shaad Ali. After a screening at Film City, the footage was sent to producer Yash Chopra, who personally approved the cast.

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  18. #018

    At the end of the Kajra Re song, Amitabh Bachchan says to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: "Madam, I am your only Adam." The dialogue is a direct reference to a scene in Kaalia (1981) in which the character played by Jagdeep begs Amitabh Bachchan for his life: "Main apni madam ka only Adam hoon." The same line was later used by Kamal Haasan in Thug Life (2024).

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  19. #019

    Amitabh Bachchan recorded the first scratch vocal for the Kajra Re song. When composer Shankar Mahadevan later asked him during the mixing stage to record the final studio version, the actor refused. He argued that the original guide track belonged to Mahadevan and joked that his own singing might hurt the track's professional quality.

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  20. #020

    Alisha Chinai initially turned down the payment offered for her vocal performance on the Kajra Re song. She stated that the fee was disproportionately low relative to the scale of the production and that the figure was disrespectful to her professional standing.

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  21. #021

    The film sparked a major fashion trend in India known as the "Bunty Babli suit." Aki Narula created Rani Mukerji's signature look, which consisted of short, vivid kurtis paired with wide patiala salwars and a shoulder bag, and was widely copied by tailors across the country after the film's release.

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  22. #022

    The vocals at the start of the Kajra Re song were suggested by Amitabh Bachchan. Music director Shankar Mahadevan had sung the song in his own voice and told Amitabh Bachchan during the recording that a singer would come and record it. Amitabh Bachchan asked him which singer would sing the song, and Shankar Mahadevan said it would be whoever the music company chose. Amitabh Bachchan then told Shankar Mahadevan that this song was for him and that if anyone else sang it, he would kill him.

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  23. #023

    This production marks the time when Amitabh Bachchan and Raj Babbar first appeared together on the big screen in a feature film. Although Raj Babbar was initially considered for the role of Raja in Shakti (1982), in which Amitabh Bachchan played the lead, he did not join the final cast, delaying their professional pairing by more than twenty years.

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  24. #024

    After the film's success, numerous real-life criminal cases emerged in which fraudsters cited the film as their inspiration. Notable examples include a couple in Darjeeling and another pair in Indore who imitated the film's flashy style and methods to swindle businesses and individuals.

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