• Source:JND
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Baghban movie released in 2003, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini, remains one of Bollywood’s most loved family drama. The movie tells the emotional story of Raj and Pooja, a couple who dedicate their lives to raising their children, only to face neglect and disrespect from them after Raj’s retirement. However, Hema Malini was initially unsure about accepting the role.

Hema Malin in an old interview with Lehren Retro shared that she was hesitant to play the mother of four adult sons. She remembered when director Ravi Chopra narrated the story at her home, with her mother present during the meeting. “I remember when I was hearing the story from Ravi Chopra, my mother was sitting. After he left, I told her, ‘Char itne bade bade ladkon ke maa ka role karne ko bol raha hai… how can I do all this?’ Then she turned around and said, ‘No, no, you must do the film.’ And I asked her why. She said, ‘The story is very good, you must do it.’ And she was really after me. So I was like, okay, I’ll do it,” Hema said.

Baghban also featured Salman Khan and Mahima Chaudhry in key roles. Earlier this year, Ravi Chopra’s wife Renu Chopra shared insights about the challenges they faced in making and releasing the film. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Renu revealed that most distributors were not interested in the film, believing it was old-fashioned. “The film struggled during its first four days in theaters. Ravi even questioned why he made it. But everything changed on the following Tuesday, and the film picked up momentum,” she said.

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Renu Chopra also explained that although the film was nearly complete, it still required a guest appearance. “No distributor wanted to touch the film. They thought it was outdated, especially since Amit ji was facing a rough patch in his career, having just made a comeback with Mohabbatein and Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). Then someone suggested approaching Salman Khan for the remaining part,” she added.

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Despite the early struggles, Baghban went on to become a cherished classic. Its heartfelt story and strong performances from Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini deeply touched audiences, making it a timeless tale of love, family, and sacrifice.