Yash Chopra’s 1981 romantic drama ‘Silsila‘, featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, and Jaya Bachchan, remains one of Bollywood’s most talked-about films. While it didn’t achieve significant box office success upon release, the film’s unique casting and evergreen music have cemented its legacy over the years.
Speculation had been rife that Silsila was gearing up for a theatrical re-release. However, the makers have now addressed these rumours. A source close to the production house told ETimes, “It is not a re-release but there will be a two-day screening of the film. And it is on the occasion of Valentine’s Day.”
‘Silsila’ was initially set to feature Parveen Babi and Smita Patil alongside Amitabh Bachchan. However, Yash Chopra later envisioned Jaya Bachchan and Rekha in the roles. The director personally met Amitabh Bachchan in Kashmir to discuss the change, and once the actor agreed, Chopra approached Jaya Bachchan and Rekha. This became the last film featuring Amitabh and Rekha together.
Before ‘Silsila’, Amitabh and Rekha shared screen space in multiple films. Their collaborations began with ‘Namak Haraam’, where they weren’t paired opposite each other, followed by notable projects like ‘Alaap’, ‘Do Anjaane’, ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’, ‘Suhaag’, ‘Imaan Dharam’, ‘Ram Balram’, ‘Ganga Ki Saugandh’, ‘Mr. Natwarlal’, and finally, ‘Silsila’.
There were also projects where they were cast together but were either replaced or never made, including ‘Duniya Ka Mela’, ‘Rocky’, and ‘Apna Paraya’. ‘Tiger’, another film they were set to star in, was shelved after Amitabh’s accident.
Rekha’s popularity as a leading actress was such that she even lent her voice to the heroines in some of Big B’s films. She dubbed for Neetu Singh in ‘Yaarana’, Sridevi in ‘Aakhree Raasta’, and Soundarya in ‘Sooryavansham‘.