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The opportunity to work with Bollywood’s iconic Shahenshah, Amitabh Bachchan, is a dream for any filmmaker. However, for R Balki, it came with its own set of challenges.
When Balki began his directorial journey with Cheeni Kum (2007), he could never have imagined that the very first day on set would be marked by a heated clash between him and the legend himself.
Cheeni Kum, set in London, tells the story of Buddhadev Gupta, played by Bachchan, a cantankerous, egotistical chef. Gupta finds himself in an unlikely romance with a much younger woman, played by Tabu. However, it wasn’t the plot or the high expectations that created tension on set—it was the very first shot.
During the filming of a scene where Bachchan’s character fires all the chefs in the kitchen, Balki found himself in a creative struggle. He repeatedly requested retakes, asking Bachchan to tone down his performance. Despite the actor delivering his lines with intensity and precision, Balki felt that something was off.
“I asked him if we could do one more take,” Balki recalled. “He immediately asked me, ‘But why?’ I said, ‘A little less.'”
Bachchan, confident in his delivery, walked around, did the scene again, and yet again, Balki asked for more restraint. By this point, tensions were rising, and Bachchan, frustrated with the constant changes, snapped, “What do you want me to do, yaar? What the hell are you? You just want me to stand there and say things with no expression, without using my hands?”
Undeterred, Balki insisted, “Yes.”
Without moving a muscle, Bachchan delivered the line once more—this time, without any of his usual dramatic flair. The result was perfect, capturing the subdued tone Balki was aiming for. Still fuming, Bachchan stormed off to his trailer, only to return minutes later with a realization.
“I got the film,” he told Balki.
This incident, although uncomfortable at the time, turned out to be a pivotal moment in the filmmaking process. It helped Bachchan understand the tone of the film and gave his character the unique depth that would go on to define Cheeni Kum. The film, which also starred Paresh Rawal and Zohra Sehgal, went on to receive both critical acclaim and commercial success, premiering at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Looking back, Balki now sees the clash as an essential part of their creative journey. It was a moment of friction that ultimately allowed the film’s emotional undercurrents to shine through. It proved that sometimes, even the most tense moments on set can lead to cinematic magic.
