FILM · 1982 · INDIA
Shakti
38 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (38)
- #001
Shakti was launched in 1977, and its mahurat showed Amitabh arriving by helicopter, descending and speaking with Dilip Kumar; this sequence was not in the film. Many believed the film would never be made. Shooting began in 1980, about three years before its release, because director Ramesh Sippy wanted to finish Shaan first. By then Neetu Singh, originally considered for the female lead, had retired, and Smita Patil was signed for the role, which became her first major commercial breakthrough.
- #002
Ramesh Sippy said it did not always work out that way, but the real big one was Shakti. Amitabh Bachchan, then at his peak, and Dilip Kumar, the best until then, were both willing and interested in doing something different, and the timing was absolutely right. Both heard the script and approved it completely without asking any questions, and nothing changed during the shoot; anyone suggesting otherwise is completely misleading. In fact Sippy was the only one who felt the film was a little too grim, because by the time he made Shakti, Bachchan had become a one-man variety entertainment, and he realised he had a role in a straitjacket with little room to add Bachchan's other qualities. He discussed with Javed (Akhtar) and Bachchan that they needed to open the film up a bit, and a gap arose because of the Coolie injury, during which they discussed it, but they realised the film's purity would be lost. The box office was normally less than what people would associate with these two actors, but that was not what they were aiming for; today, as far as Shakti is remembered, there is an affection for it and great respect.
- #003
For the first and only time in their careers, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan shared the lead roles.
- #004
Raakhee, who was Amitabh's leading lady in many films, played his mother even though she was younger than him in real life. Surprisingly, the same year she played his romantic partner in Bemisaal (1982). In an interview she stated that she accepted the role because she was opposite the legendary Dilip Kumar.
- #005
Anil Kapoor, then a struggler, later played Amitabh Bachchan's son, though they had no scenes together; a few years later he appeared in hits such as Meri Jung (1985) and Mr India, which had earlier been offered to Amitabh Bachchan.
- #006
In Khakee (2004), Amitabh's character was inspired by Dilip Kumar's character in Shakti.
- #007
Salim-Javed had seen a play of Raj Babbar's and were very impressed by his performance. They spoke highly of Raj Babbar's talent to Ramesh Sippy and producer Mushir Riaz, which led the producer of Shakti to sign Raj Babbar as Dilip Kumar's son in Shakti. Distributors were not at all happy with this decision and told the film's producers that the film would sell for much more money if Amitabh Bachchan played Dilip Kumar's son. Mushir Riaz decided to remove Raj Babbar from the film and sign Amitabh. This was the second time Raj Babbar was replaced in an Amitabh Bachchan film (the first was Shashi Kapoor's role in Namak Halaal).
- #008
Anil Kapoor has a small role in the film, before Woh Saat Din was released.
- #009
Producer Mushir was kidnapped on the eve of the film's premiere, on the orders of the Pathan gangster Amirzada. Four men burst into his car and blinded him, then demanded 25 lakh. In the end his partner Riaz and a friend decided to give the money to the kidnappers, though Mushir did not want them to give anything. All were soon caught and the money was found. Dilip Kumar assigned Inspector Isaque Bhagwan and demanded urgent efforts to bring the producer back safely. It was later determined that the person who told Amirzada that Mushir had a lot of money was the production manager/producer Ahmed Sayed Khan.
- #010
Amitabh stated that the film was not very successful because it was very dry. The character should have been open and acknowledged his weaknesses. He suggested to Ramesh Sippy that they shoot some comic scenes to make the film stand out, but Sippy disagreed, as it would go against his character in the film. Amitabh believed there was no real reason for his character to always be so serious and silent. On one side the public was crossing the street to see Amitabh play in the gallery in Namak Halaal — comedy, action, emotion; Namak Halaal had everything. On the other side Shakti was well made, but Ramesh Sippy did not give the public the Amitabh they wanted.
- #011
Ramesh Sippy stated that Shakti was an understated film. It had less chance of succeeding in India because the actors gave restrained performances; in India, shouting is considered good acting, and Shakti had none of that. The public wanted a film starring Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan to be loud and to tear up the screen, and they did not understand this. The film was plain and had nuances that needed to be understood.
- #012
Many consider this Amitabh's best performance; even Jaya Bachchan thinks it is his best, along with AAA and Agneepath.
- #013
Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Rakhee Gulzar, Smita Patil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Amrish Puri and Anil Kapoor are great stars in this powerful film. Shakti was truly a powerful film.
- #014
Two scenes from Shakti appeared to have inspired the Hollywood film Heat, and many even argued that the basic plot idea came from Shakti. Shakti's climax scene at the airport (a ten-minute chase without dialogue) ends with Dilip shooting Amitabh; in Heat, Al Pacino shoots DeNiro. Then comes the scene where Pacino and DeNiro talk about their differing views of the law; Dilip and Amitabh have the same scene in Shakti.
- #015
Dilip Kumar wanted director Ramesh Sippy to change the father and son characters into brothers, but the writers Salim-Javed managed to persuade him otherwise.
- #016
Satish Shah, then a struggler, also had a small role in the film.
- #017
The film featured three superstars of their time: Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan.
- #018
Javed Akhtar stated that when he wrote the script he had no idea that Amitabh would play the son's role. When Amitabh heard about the film, he insisted on doing it. Javed Akhtar stated that Shakti was a vehicle for Dilip Kumar, not for Amitabh Bachchan. Javed said he genuinely wondered what Shakti's fate would have been if another actor had taken Amitabh's role; perhaps it would have been better, because people's expectations of Amitabh went against the film. Amitabh was very serious and there was no light moment in the film.
- #019
In Amitabh's warehouse truck scene (when he steals the truck back), the background music composed by Rahul Dev Burman was used as an inspiration years later. A. R. Rahman used the same instrument that Rahul Dev Burman used at the start of the warehouse truck scene in the first few seconds of the song "Mujhe Rang De" in the film Thakshak.
- #020
Amitabh Bachchan's fans were disheartened and felt he was overshadowed by Dilip Kumar in the film.
- #021
Dilip Tahil, who had already appeared in many films, drew attention in this film with the character Ganpat Rai.
- #022
Shakti is a remake of Ashok Kumar's Sangram.
- #023
Sukh Knight's song "Cop Killer" sampled the song "Humne Sanam Ko Khat Likha." The song is now mostly used in videos by YouTuber Jus Reign.
- #024
When Shakti was released, Amitabh Bachchan was in the hospital due to the "Coolie" incident.
- #025
Dilip Kumar made a major comeback with this film.
- #026
The Mahurat was held on 20 November 1977.
- #027
Shakti was initially planned as a songless film with a little music in the background. As the film grew, they signed Rahul Dev Burman for the music.
- #028
Ramesh Sippy and Rakhee Gulzar began a relationship with each other during the making of the film.
- #029
Javed Akhtar denied the claim that Amitabh would encourage the director to remove the scenes he shared with his co-star. One of the reasons Shakti did not perform well was that Amitabh did not get enough attention. The public felt cheated because Amitabh was supposed to be the film's lead. Javed said, "We did not have Amitabh in mind while writing the role. In the end we offered him the film and he accepted it as it was. The film was given to Amitabh in 1977. By the time Shakti was released, Amitabh had outgrown the image he had. Amitabh had also done a lot of comedy by then. He was known for his comic timing. Amitabh had his own dance style. We had to show his usual dance steps. This is clearly visible throughout half the film. However, Amitabh never suggested increasing his lines or scenes. When half a film is complete, changing the script is useless. In Trishul this would not have worked, in Shakti it would not have worked. In fact Amitabh had the power to change his role, and he did not."
- #030
The released LP records included the Shakti Theme Music/Title Music and some background music. They were not included on the audio cassettes and CDs that came out later.
- #031
The film Farz Aur Kanoon had a similar story. Farz Aur Kanoon was a remake of the southern film Thanga Padhakkam.
- #032
Salim-Javed stated to Ramesh Sippy that they had insisted the film's songs be removed. They felt the songs went against the film's mood. If Amitabh was cold and silent, why would he do a romantic duet? Sippy kept the songs in the film. Javed stated that audiences did not watch even a single showing of the film for the music. The music contributed nothing to the film.
- #033
After the Coolie accident, while Amitabh was in the hospital, a story circulated that Dilip Kumar sat down with Ramesh Sippy and edited some of Amitabh's best scenes. There was a scene in which Dilip Kumar and Amitabh were about to have dinner. Dilip Kumar begins to give Amitabh a long lecture for 5 minutes. Amitabh interrupts and silences him with "Bas ho gaya, now lets eat." This line would have been a definite scene stealer.
- #034
At one point Ramesh Sippy stopped shooting them together. There was an agreement with Mushir-Riaz that Shaan would be released first. Ramesh Sippy stated that shooting both films together was a mistake.
- #035
A song sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle was recorded, but it was not picturised because Amitabh Bachchan was hospitalised due to the Coolie incident.
- #036
During the period when Shakti was shot, producers Mushir and Riaz made 4 big films with the best producers and major stars. At that time these included Mehbooba, Apne Paraye, Rajput and Shakti.
- #037
Neetu Singh was considered for the film. Later they signed Smita Patil to make the film more realistic and give it a different feel.
- #038
Mushir-Riaz signed Yash Chopra for a film titled "Aag Ka Dariya" starring Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. Yash Chopra backed out for unknown reasons. Whether Aag Ka Dariya and Ramesh Sippy's Shakti are the same film remains a secret.
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