Director Jabbar Patel’s 2000 political drama was first offered to Shah Rukh Khan. After his refusal Malayalam actor Mammootty played and immortalised the role of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
Over the year several political dramas have been released in India, the latest being Kangana Ranaut‘s Emergency. While several actors have brought alive political leaders and their zeal on screen, not everyone can do what Mammootty did back in 2000. The actor with a wide range of polymath, has contributed with several acclaimed performances, but his film ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar,’ will always stand out and for the right reasons. The film directed by Jabbar Patel not only did justice to the larger-than-life character of our ‘Father of Constitution’ but also won Mammootty his third National Award. But do you know initially, the Malayalam actor had refused to do the film due to his moustache?
Mammootty had declined the role
Director Jabbar Patel spoke about his film and revealed that initially, the Malayalam actor had said no to his film. ‘Because of the time commitment and the need to shave off his moustache, Mammootty was first reluctant to take the position. He promised ten days every month for as long as it took to make the film and he gave the project his whole attention after he committed,’ the director said. The actor was loved in the role in the film ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.’
Shah Rukh Khan said no to this film
Shah Rukh Khan was offered the part after Jabbar Patel made the decision to film a biography about Dr Ambedkar. At that time, the superstar had graciously declined, showing respect rather than indifference. In an interview with Zoom, the actor candidly spoke about the film and said, ‘I can’t portray a beloved legend from actual life. The character’s grey parts would not be of interest to anyone. That would be considered sacrilege. Many performers, like Naseerbhai, Nana and Kamal Haasan, have strong political or social beliefs. They are qualified to deal with these kinds of characters. I can’t do that, though, if I play Mahatma Gandhi. I lack the perseverance, willpower, and possibly even the skill to portray authentic personalities. Five years from now, I might be able to accomplish this. But I can’t at the moment.’
Three National Awards!
‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’ was made with a budget of just Rs 8.95 crore and was a hit at the box office. The film was simultaneously shot in Hindi and English. Moreover, Hollywood Robert De Niro was also offered the role. The movie took home the National Film Awards for Best Actor (Mammootty), Best Art Direction (Nitin Chandrakant Desai) and Best Feature Film in English. In honour of the 70th Indian Independence Day, the movie was shown in reverse on August 15, 2016, at the Independence Day Film Festival, which was organised by the Ministry of Defense and the Indian Directorate of Film Festivals.
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