FILM · 1980 · INDIA
Dostana
40 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (40)
- #001
In 1980, Zeenat Aman played the sole female lead opposite two rival heroes in three films: Dostana with Amit and Shatru, Qurbani with Vinod Khanna and Feroz, and Bombay 405 Miles with Shatru and Vinod Khanna.
- #002
Raj Khosla generally presented his heroes in unglamorous avatars. Zeenat Aman, then known for her ultra-modern image, was dressed in a sari in the film.
- #003
When Raj Khosla began the film, he said he had a perfect star cast. Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna were to play parallel leads. But when Raj Khosla finally read the entire Salim-Javed script, he realised Vinod Khanna had no role in the film; it was Amitabh's show from start to finish. The right choice would be Shatrughan Sinha. Raj Khosla told Yash Johar this. Although Vinod was a bigger star and more talented than Shatrughan, he removed Vinod from the film. These were the exact words Khosla used in an interview with Filmfare magazine.
- #004
In C.I.D. there was a scene in which Dev Anand interrogates Mehmood. Dev is called away, the police take Mehmood back to prison, two men beat Mehmood, the blame falls on Dev Anand, and he is removed. Twenty years later, Raj Khosla repeated this scene in Dostana, with Amitabh Bachchan interrogating Sajan. It was not in the Salim-Javed script; it was added later.
- #005
The veteran actress Ruby Meyers played a nun.
- #006
Prem Chopra played the main villain's role. Amrish Puri played one of Prem Chopra's men. He had a small, minor role and was already very well known. Two years later, Amrish Puri became the big villain.
- #007
This was Raj Khosla's only film with Amitabh Bachchan; the two worked together just once.
- #008
Zeenat Aman's scene in beachwear was the most glamorous female-actor scene in any Raj Khosla film.
- #009
Amitabh and Shatrughan appeared together in four films during their golden period: Dostana, Shaan, Naseeb and Kaala Paththar. During their struggling days, they had appeared together in Raaste Ka Paththar.
- #010
The actor Vinod Khanna was considered for the role played by Shatrughan Sinha. However, director Raj Khosla believed that if Vinod played the role, it would be unbelievable for Zeenat to reject him, since Vinod was one of the most handsome actors. How could anyone reject him because of Amitabh's character?
- #011
This is one of the rare films in which Amitabh Bachchan is shown constantly chewing gum.
- #012
Yash Johar worked at Dev Anand's Navketan office. Dev Anand encouraged Yash Johar to become a producer, and Dharma Productions was founded. Yash Johar approached Salim-Javed, who had a ready script. Yash Johar brought in Navketan associates such as Raj Khosla, Zeenat Aman, Shatrughan Sinha and Prem Chopra, and signed Amitabh Bachchan, who in those days was indispensable to a Salim-Javed script. Dostana was launched in 1977 with the mahurat clapped by I. S. Johar (Yash Johar's elder brother). The film was later delayed because of Amitabh's date problems, and due to the delays it was shot in England by cinematographer Nariman Irani. This was Raj Khosla's only film with Salim-Javed.
- #013
At Dostana's success party, Yash Johar had released a film titled John Jaani Janardhan with Manmohan Desai, the film's director, in a role, but the film was shelved; instead, under the Dharma Productions banner, Yash Johar made Duniya, directed by Ramesh Talwar and starring Dilip Kumar.
- #014
The mahurat was held on 8 July 1977.
- #015
C.I.D. was Raj Khosla's first successful film in 1956, and 24 years later Dostana was Raj Khosla's last successful film. In between, both films were produced by Navketan's associates Guru Dutt and Yash Johar, both friends of Dev Anand.
- #016
This was cinematographer Neriman Irani's last release. The remaining shooting was completed by his other colleagues.
- #017
In 2002, Sanjay Gupta was planning a film titled Dostana with Sanjay Dutt, Fardeen Khan and Shilpa Shetty. After the announcement, it was shelved.
- #018
Amitabh Bachchan was known for his punctuality. Raj Khosla had to keep this in mind when signing him, as he was usually late to his sets.
- #019
The film was released in 1980 during the Dussehra festival.
- #020
Dostana was remade in Tamil as Sattam (1983), starring Kamal Haasan, Sarath Babu and Madhavi.
- #021
Dostana marked the first time Amitabh Bachchan acted alongside Colonel Raj Kumar Kapoor.
- #022
Because Amitabh Bachchan was very punctual and Shatrughan Sinha was always late, Zeenat Aman adjusted her schedule for both leading men. The three never appeared in a single frame together on set, and director Raj Khosla used body doubles for the shoot.
- #023
Prem Chopra was also part of Ram Balram, released the same year. Both films starred Amitabh and Zeenat, though Zeenat was paired with Dharmendra in Ram Balram, and both films featured Helen.
- #024
Shatrughan Sinha and Amitabh made two love triangles, Naseeb and Dostana, both released within a year of each other. In each, both Hema and Zeenat fall in love with Amitabh, and in both he gets the girl.
- #025
Iftekhar has no dialogue in the film; he plays a lawyer but has no lines.
- #026
Natraj Films had a shelved TV series titled Dostana. Its cast included Sumeet Saigal, Varsha Usgaonkar, Arun Govil, Deepshika, Ravi Sagar, Raza Murad, Shiva, Makrand Deshpande, Pankaj Berry, Ajit Vachani and Anjana Mumtaz, with music by Dilip Sen and Sameer Sen and producers Hiroj Panwar and Rashmi Jaiswal.
- #027
The film Bobby is referenced many times. Its popular song Chabi Kho Jaye is used in more than one scene, and later in the film (from 2:07 onward) the file Zeenat carries as she goes from lawyer to lawyer is a Bobby production.
- #028
Amitabh had no scene with Ruby Myers.
- #029
Salim Khan stated that he and Javed were paid as much as the film's lead. With Dostana, they began earning more than Amitabh because Amitabh had lowered his price for Yash Johar.
- #030
Dillagi Ne Di Hawa. The line "aankhon ka tha kasoor chhuri dil pe chal gayi" in the song's second antara came from a ghazal by Jaleel Manikpuri.
- #031
In Zanjeer, Om Prakash gives Amitabh information about smugglers, and in Dostana Pran does the same.
- #032
This was Amrish Puri's second film with Amitabh Bachchan, after Imman Dharam.
- #033
Amitabh's first scene with Prem Chopra comes after the film's first hour.
- #034
Mohammad Rafi, who sang two songs in the film, passed away the same year.
- #035
Sharat Saxena had a very brief role.
- #036
Sudhir appeared in both Dostana and Shaan, which starred Amitabh and Shatrughan Sinha and were both released in 1980.
- #037
Goga Kapoor and Sudhir had small roles in the film.
- #038
Sharat Saxena had no scenes with Amitabh or Shatrughan Sinha.
- #039
Mcmohan has no dialogue in the film either.
- #040
Goga Kapoor and Sudhir worked together in Shaan, which was released the same year.
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