FILM · 1987 · INDIA
Mr. India
56 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (56)
- #001
Amitabh Bachchan was offered the role of Mr. India but turned it down because of his interest in politics and because he was not doing many films. Shekhar Kapur wanted Anupam Kher to play Mogambo, but later switched to Amrish Puri because he wanted someone who looked frightening.
- #002
This was the last film written by the writing duo Salim-Javed. Although they had split much earlier, in the early 1980s, they came back one last time to write the screenplay for this film.
- #003
In 1957, Nanabhai Bhatt made a film titled "Mr. X" starring Ashok Kumar as Mr. X and the invisible man. It was the first Indian film with an invisible-man theme. Interestingly, Ashok Kumar, who starred in the 1957 film, plays a supporting role as Professor Sinha in Mr. India.
- #004
In the announced sequel, it was revealed that 23 years later a new terrorist who wants to rule India arrives, raising the questions of where Mr. India is and what happens to the invisibility formula, and that Salman Khan would play the terrorist.
- #005
Shekhar Kapur was not happy with the dialogue "Mogambo Khush Hua." Javed Akhtar told him that the next day the dialogue would turn into a rage and that every winner in the game would say "Mogambo Khush Hua." If Kapil Dev hit a six in a cricket match, the crowd would say "Mogambo Khush Hua." Javed Akhtar's prediction came true while Shekhar Kapur was watching a cricket match, when Kapil Dev hit a six and a person unfurled a banner reading "Mogambo Khush Hua."
- #006
When Prof. Sinha first speaks to his students in the classroom, formulas from various branches of science (mathematics, chemistry, etc.) are shown on the board behind him. "Boney's Law of Time-Space Continuum" is clearly visible. Boney Kapoor is the producer of the film.
- #007
The film Zamana was first planned in 1980. Salim and Javed wrote the script for Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan. But then both of them fell out with Amitabh. They even vowed never to work with Amitabh again. The problem lay with the film "Mr. India." The film was written for Amitabh Bachchan. Salim and Javed planned to produce the film. Since Amitabh's character would be invisible for most of the film, they would need him for only 15 days. They arranged a meeting to discuss Amitabh's fee. Amitabh's brother Ajitabh represented Amitabh at the meeting. But something went wrong. Many people think Amitabh demanded a huge fee and would not give Salim and Javed a share of the profits. That was when Javed took Salim aside and told him that they were the ones who had made "Amitabh Bachchan." If he was going to act big now, they did not need him. At this point Salim asked Javed who would make the film. They could not approach Rajesh Khanna because Javed and Rajesh had had a fistfight at a party a few months earlier. Javed said he was ready to apologize to Rajesh Khanna, and Salim arranged a meeting with Khanna. Javed went and met Khanna, and they drank until 4 in the morning. Salim and Javed shelved Mr. India and decided to move ahead with Zamana. Amitabh took this as a personal attack and decided to stay away from Salim and Javed. However, a year later Salim and Javed split up, and Javed Akhtar went back to Amitabh. This angered Salim because Javed went against his vow to boycott Amitabh and all his films.
- #008
Before filming began, Aamir Khan begged Shekhar Kapur to direct the film. Satish Kaushik rejected the idea, thinking that Aamir Khan was too sophisticated and rich and would arrive on set every day in expensive cars. This theory about Aamir Khan would prove to be wrong.
- #009
In 2008, Boney Kapoor announced a sequel to the film, which was expected to be Sridevi's comeback, with Anil Kapoor and Sridevi in the lead roles and Salman Khan playing a character similar to Mogambo, A. R. Rahman signed on as music director, and the film to be shot in 3D format, but the film has still not come to the screen, and it was said that technicians were called from abroad to create Salman's look.
- #010
When Dagga and Teja interrogate Miss Hawa Hawaii and Mr. India appears for the first time, Teja fires 4 bullets from his pistol before being slapped by Mr. India. Mr. India then shoots the chains off Hawa Hawaii with two bullets before pointing the (now empty) gun at the villains.
- #011
While shooting the cockroach scene for Mr. India, Shekhar Kapur could not get a suitable shot of the cockroach. In the scene, the cockroach needed to be in a position where it appeared to be looking at Anil Kapoor and Sridevi, and it would move when the camera turned. In the end, Shekhar Kapur bought his favorite rum and placed it around the cockroach. The cockroach went and tasted the rum, then came back and stood still, and Shekhar Kapur finally got the shot he wanted.
- #012
Sridevi's striking look in the song Kate Nahi Katte Din Yeh Raat was inspired by her earlier look in the song Har Kisi Ko Nahi Milta Yaha Payr Zindagi Mein in Jaanbaaz (1986).
- #013
The initial plan was to shoot the film's special effects abroad. This would have cost Boney Kapoor a large amount of money. Shekhar Kapoor sat down every night with a man who was a special effects wizard in India and had him find scenes that would save Boney Kapoor a large amount of money.
- #014
Rajesh Khanna was offered the role of Mr. India but turned it down.
- #015
Anil Kapoor is seen in the same outfit and hat throughout the entire film.
- #016
Kishore Kumar intended for Rajesh Khanna to appear in the film, and so he decided to sing for the film.
- #017
Satish Kaushik, who assisted Shekhar Kapur on the film and also played the role of Calendar, later completed Shekhar Kapur's films Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993) and Prem (1995), which Kapur had left unfinished.
- #018
This was the last Indian film directed entirely by Shekhar Kapur before he moved to Hollywood. He later left many of his films unfinished: Joshilaay 1989, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja 1993, Prem 1995, Dushmani 1995 and Barsaat 1995. He had also started a science fiction film, Time Machine, with Aamir Khan, Rekha, Naseeruddin Shah, Raveena Tandon, Amrish Puri, Gulshan Grover and Vijay Anand, which was never released.
- #019
During the shooting of the song "Kaante nahi kat te yeh din ye raat," Sridevi had a high fever. However, she did not delay and shot like a professional.
- #020
Mr. India was written by Salim-Javed before they split, and the film was made after their separation. While writing it, they wanted Amitabh Bachchan to star and Ramesh Sippy to direct. Ramesh Sippy read the script and turned the idea down because he knew it would be an expensive film; Shaan had failed and he did not want to make another big-budget film. It was the last film written by Salim-Javed.
- #021
The film's climax, featuring explosions on the island, was inspired by the 1980 film Shaan.
- #022
Boney claimed he paid Shekhar Kapur very little for the film, and that he would have had to pay a larger sum had he hired Ramesh Sippy. He signed Shekhar because he and Shabana had visited Shekhar in hospital in 1981, when Shekhar wanted to make Masoom. Boney was greatly impressed by the way Shekhar explained every scene in detail, and since Shekhar never helped anyone, his vision for filmmaking was magnificent and extraordinary; one day Boney decided to sign him.
- #023
Sridevi, already the highest-paid Indian actress of the time, was paid an unprecedented 11 lakh rupees to play the female lead, the highest amount paid to a woman at that time.
- #024
The sad version of the song Zindagi Ki Yahi Reet Hai, sung by Kishore Kumar, was available only on the audio release. In the film, this version was sung by Mohammed Aziz.
- #025
Anil Kapoor and Sridevi gave their best performances in the film, but Sridevi received more appreciation, and many people began calling the film Miss India.
- #026
Actor Aftab Shivdasani and choreographer Ahmed Khan appear in the film as child artists, playing one of the orphan children.
- #027
Indo-Canadian professional wrestler Rish Koya used the ring name "Mr. India" for his professional wrestling career, a tribute to his favourite film Mr. India. He is from the Fiji Islands and is of Indian origin.
- #028
Before Mr. India, Boney Kapoor and Bapu had announced a film titled "Govinda", starring Anil Kapoor and Sridevi. They decided to shelve it and start Mr. India instead.
- #029
The 1971 film Elaan was an inspiration for the film.
- #030
Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993) was launched during the success party for Mr. India.
- #031
After Amitabh turned the film down, Shekhar Kapur wanted Kamal Haasan for the role. There were discussions, but Kamal was injured and could not commit to the film. That was when Boney Kapoor stepped in and decided to produce the film.
- #032
Salim-Javed wanted to write a script for Amitabh Bachchan in which he would often be invisible, since he was busy in those days. After Salim-Javed split, the script went to Javed Akhtar, but around that time Amitabh Bachchan had taken a break from acting to focus on politics. When Javed Akhtar pitched the script to Boney Kapoor, he wanted Rajesh Khanna for the film, but Khanna turned it down because of the invisibility theme. Boney Kapoor then decided that his brother Anil Kapoor would play the lead.
- #033
Boney Kapoor wanted Shekhar Kapur to direct the film because he had directed the widely acclaimed children's film Masoom (1982).
- #034
Mogambo's character went unwritten for a long time; every time Shekhar Kapur asked, he said he would give Javed Akhtar his villain. Shooting had also begun, and Shekhar Kapur was worried about what his villain would be like.
- #035
During the film's discussions, Boney Kapoor joined in after returning from watching Feroze Khan's 1986 film Jaanbaaz, and he felt that no one to date had shown Sridevi as beautifully as Feroze Khan did in the song Har Kisi Ko Nahi Milta. He wanted Shekhar Kapur to take it to another level, and Sridevi was rewarded for her hard work, looking very beautiful in the song Kate Nahi Katte Din Yeh Raat and then in Har Kisi Ko Nahi Milta.
- #036
In 2019, Madame Tussauds in Singapore made a wax statue of Sridevi in her Hawa Hawaii look, in a golden outfit.
- #037
Mr. India (1987) received wide acclaim from contemporary and modern critics, most of whom appreciated the performances of Sridevi and Anil Kapoor. The film won many awards, including four at the 1st Star & Style-Lux Awards organized by Star & Style magazine: Best Film (Boney Kapoor), Best Director (Shekhar Kapur), Best Actor (Anil Kapoor) and Best Actress (Sridevi). In 2013, Sridevi was honoured with a Special Award at the 58th Filmfare Awards for her performances in Mr. India (1987) and Nagina (1986).
- #038
Aamir Khan wanted to help Shekhar Kapur on the film, but he was turned down by first assistant director Satish Kaushik, who came to meet him in a car.
- #039
The feud between Salman Khan and the Kapoor brothers began in 1987. Boney Kapoor had organised a celebration party for Mr. India and was handing out trophies to all the crew members. Salim Khan was out of town and sent Salman Khan to collect his award on his behalf. Boney was in a hurry and forgot to instruct Anupam Kher to call Salim Khan and Baba Azmi to the stage. The person who came on stage and accepted the trophy, taking all the credit for Mr. India for himself, was Javed Akhtar. An angry Salman stormed out of the party. Boney later said it was an honest mistake and was not meant to slight Salim Khan or his younger son Salman.
- #040
In the opening and in several scenes, Mogambo's men make a 'Salaam Mogambo' gesture that closely resembles the Nazi salute.
- #041
Sridevi voiced her own name in the film at a time when her voice was dubbed in Hindi films.
- #042
In 1961, film producer G. P. Sippy made a film titled Mr. India, starring I. S. Johar and Greta Bali.
- #043
Hawaa Hawai had a remix in the 2011 film Shaitan.
- #044
The song Khate Nahin Khati Hain Din Ya Raat was inspired by Dheere Chal Ae Bheege Hawa from Boyfriend (1961) and Denewala Do Dil Deta from Tasveer (1966).
- #045
The film was originally written for Sippy Films, but Ramesh Sippy backed out because of the many special effects.
- #046
In an interview with the YouTube programme 'The Quint', Satish Kaushik said that his character Calendar was inspired by the servant character played by Salim Nasir in the 1984 PTV drama.
- #047
Amol Palekar and Shabana Azmi's film "Mr. X" deals with an invisible man. The concept was known to Shabana Azmi while working on the film, and she may have passed this information on to Javed Akhtar, who wrote the story of Mr. India.
- #048
Mr. India's music director duo was Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Coincidentally, Laxmikant-Pyarelal also composed the music for all the original songs on which the Child Parody was based.
- #049
Mr. X in Bombay was one of several Indian films based on the "invisible man" concept. "Mr. X" (1938), "Mr. X" (1957), Elaan (1971), "Mr. India" (1987), Mr X (1987), Professor Ki Padosan (1994) and "Mr. X" (2015) were among the other Indian films featuring an invisible hero.
- #050
Javed Akhtar claims the idea of writing the script came from an incident he had with Pramod Chakravorty. Pramod Chakravorty had held a mahurat for a film with Amitabh Bachchan. The problem was that Amitabh was shooting in Europe and could not attend the important day. So Pramod recorded Amitabh's voice and had him speak some dialogue, then played the tape over a loudspeaker. This gave Salim and Javed a hero who could be heard but not seen. They later felt it was best not to make the film with Amitabh. Amitabh did not need to become invisible to fight his enemies; in fact, he would have been more effective when his enemies saw him coming.
- #051
The bombing scene in the park where Tina is killed was not part of the film. While watching the film's trial, Shekhar Kapur and Anil Kapoor felt the script needed something that would make the audience hate Mogambo and give Mr. India a reason to kill him. The scene was therefore added later.
- #052
The film is dedicated to the memory of the late actress Geeta Bali.
- #053
It was Anil Kapoor's first film with a title beginning with "Mr." Mr. Azaad and Mr. Bechara followed. Both were flops.
- #054
Aftab Shivdasani made his acting debut in this film as a child actor.
- #055
Anil Kapoor's character in the film is named Arun Verma. This was also the name of the characters he played in "Mr. India" and "Gharwali Baharwali".
- #056
Mr. India became the biggest hit among the four holiday releases and was a box-office record-breaker in ticket revenue in 1987.
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