Ram Lakhan

The film's music was released in October 1988, making Ram Lakhan the first Indian film whose soundtrack was issued on CD. Before Ram Lakhan, audio cassettes and LPs were the preferred sound formats.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

In the early years of her career, Madhuri Dixit had suffered many failures when she met Subhash Ghai on the sets of Karma (1986), where she was shooting for the 1985 film Aawara Baap. Ghai offered her a dance number in Karma (1986), which was choreographed, and Dixit decided to make her big launch with Ram Lakhan (1989), but fate had something different in store for Madhuri Dixit: Tezaab (1988) was released first and she became a star overnight.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Anil and Jackie appeared in three films that year; the other films were Parinda and Kala Bazaar.

EASTER EGGS & REFERENCES · SOURCED

The film was a big hit and was also one of the successful films pairing Anil and Jackie, the hit duo of the 1980s and 1990s.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Gulshan Grover's negative character Kesariya Vilayati became quite famous for his well-known dialogue 'Badman'.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

This film was made only after Subhash Ghai cancelled Devaa, his dream project starring Amitabh Bachchan.

CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

Laxmikant and Pyarelal had quarrelled at one point and wanted to split up. During the making of this film, Subhash Ghai spoke to them to reconcile them; L-P then came back together, everything was fine between them, and they worked together on Ram Lakhan as usual.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Ronit Roy was one of Subhash Ghai's assistants on the film.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Before Ram Lakhan, Subhash Ghai had shelved 'Devaa' (1987), starring Amitabh Bachchan, Raaj Kumar, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Shammi Kapoor and Ila Arun, with music by Laxmikant Pyarelal and produced and directed by Subhash Ghai. The film was shelved because Amitabh and Subhash Ghai had various ego clashes. Subhash Ghai felt Amitabh was not behaving professionally. He would constantly arrive late on set and then leave saying he was ill. Amitabh genuinely did feel ill, and Ghai could see that. Amitabh would promise to make up the lost time the next day but would go back on his word. The next day Habib Nadiadwala called Subhash Ghai and shouted at him for shooting Amitabh while he was ill. Ghai did not like this and was fed up. Amitabh's secretary Sheetal would negotiate and speak with Subhash Ghai. Ghai hated this. Subhash Ghai wanted to deal with Amitabh directly. Later Amitabh would shoot for only a few days and then cancel the other dates given. Subhash Ghai felt Amitabh was not concentrating enough on the film. Subhash felt this film was a once-in-a-lifetime film and needed proper attention. Subhash Ghai was also very upset with the film's co-producer Habib Nadiadwala. Habib constantly spoke on Amitabh's behalf even though Amitabh was very ill, and shouted at Ghai for making Amitabh shoot. Subhash noted that Amitabh had cancelled some dates and given them to other producers. He would not have minded, but he felt Amitabh was not being completely honest. Subhash felt a certain distance from Amitabh and felt they were not on good terms. Subhash needed a family-like atmosphere. Subhash finally flew to Madras, where Amitabh was shooting for Shahenshah, and gave him the news. Amitabh thought Ghai had perhaps shelved the film because of the Bofors scandal. Ghai denied this and said he had shelved the film because of the stress he experienced while making it. Amitabh, for his part, did not like Ghai's attitude and was unhappy with his working style. Boney Kapoor also kept advising Ghai that Devaa would be a very expensive film and that he would not get his money back. He should start Ram Lakhan with Anil Kapoor, as it would be a better film financially.

PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

This is one of the biggest hits of the Anil and Madhuri pair.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Subhash Ghai wanted Shatrughan Sinha for Jackie Shroff's role.

CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

The first choice for music director was RD Burman, but he was dropped by Subhash Ghai without being informed. It is said that RD suffered his first heart attack immediately after this.

CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

Rakhee won the Best Supporting Actress award for the film. The Best Comedian award was shared by Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik jointly received the Best Comedian award for the film.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

During a party held to celebrate the completion of Ram Lakhan, actress Sonika Gill slit her wrists at the hotel. Stardust Magazine published the story in June 1989. Sonika denied all the claims, and it was speculated that it stemmed from Subhash Ghai constantly shouting at her in front of everyone. When Subhash confronted her, Sonika admitted her situation but said it was caused by her personal problems.

DEEPER MEANING · SOURCED

While shooting a fight scene, Anil Kapoor badly injured Gulshan Grover's eye. Although it was an accident, Gulshan Grover held a grudge against Anil Kapoor. Gulshan Grover came to Anil's house and verbally abused him. Anil retaliated and gave the money back to him. This incident caused Anil and Gulshan to not speak or work together for several years. Boney Kapoor eventually stepped in and got them to apologise to each other. In the end they came together for Loafer.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Subhash Ghai choreographed the song Tera Naam Liya himself… and did a good job. The dance director was busy that day, so Subhash Ghai did the dance director's job. This was the second time, after the song Dard E Dil in Karz… Subhash Ghai had choreographed the song because the dance director could not come. Rishi Kapoor thought Subhash Ghai could not do it and would ruin it. However, when Rishi Kapoor saw the film at the time of its release, he was surprised to see that the best work had been done. He apologised to Subhash Ghai.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Ram Lakhan is one of many films that showed Anupam Kher as Madhuri's father.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Sunil Dutt gave the mahurat clap for the film Ram-Lakhan.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Although Raakhee was only a few years older than Jackie and Anil, she played their mother.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

The film was said to have been inspired by Yash Chopra's 1975 classic Deewar.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

The film was a huge box-office hit and became a classic.

CAREER & AWARDS · SOURCED

Before Karma, Subhash Ghai wanted to make a film with Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. The film was called Sher Bahadur. However, it was shelved and Devaa was planned later.

PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

When Subhash Ghai signed Gulshan Grover for the film, he told him that no matter which character he encountered in the film, he had to say 'Badman'. Gulshan was shooting for Umesh Mehra at Filmistan studio. Subhash Ghai called Gulshan and asked if he was free the next day. Gulshan said he was shooting from 9 a.m. Ghai asked him to come for breakfast at 7 a.m. Gulshan knew it had to be for a role in Ram Lakhan. Gulshan reached Subhash Ghai's high-rise. They had breakfast, but Ghai said nothing about Ram Lakhan. Gulshan sat there waiting, but Ghai talked about everything except Ram Lakhan. Finally Ghai went to see Gulshan to the lift. Gulshan could not hold back any longer and asked whether they would work together in Ram Lakhan. Ghai smiled and told him yes. He told Gulshan that his main line would be 'I am Bad Man and i hate good people'. He told him nothing else. The rest is history, because this character name stuck to Gulshan Grover forever.

CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

At one point Poonam Dhillon was considered for Madhuri's role.

CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

The melody at 6:07 in the full 8-minute version of the song 'Yaar Ki Khabar Mil Gayee' from Ram Balram resembles the melody at 4:20 in the song 'Tera Naam Liya' from Ram Lakhan.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

The song Main Hu Woh Hero began with Anand Balraj. After listening to the song, he asked Subhash Ghai how he could start the song while being the film's villain. Subhash Ghai told him that he always saw him as a hero and that he had therefore made the song for him.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Subhash Ghai spotted Anand Balraj on a ramp among eleven girls at a fashion show in Delhi. He asked who this Kanhiya among the girls was and later spoke with him. He asked Anand Balraj why he did not become a hero, and he replied that Ghai was Subhash Ghai and could give him a role. Ram Lakhan came about this way because Subhash Ghai never saw him as a villain and looked at him as a hero, and he arranged a dance competition between him and Anil Kapoor in the film. Bakshi later played an important role in writing the lyrics of Main Hu Woh Hero here.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Dimple Kapadia and Madhuri Dixit worked together in two films, this one and Prahaar (1991).

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED