Amjad Khan’s dhobi was the inspiration behind his famous dialogue “Arre O Sambha” from Sholay

July 27 marked the 32nd death anniversary of Amjad Khan, one of the most iconic actors from India cinema. Although he was known for his villainous roles, he also excelled while playing different roles. But he is known the most for his legendary act as the dacoit Gabbar Singh in Ramesh Sippy’s classic Sholay (1975).

Khan’s role as Gabbar Singh is not only still remembered but it also sends a chill down your spine. A major highlight about his performance in Sholay was that he made some of the mundane lines memorable. For example, “Kitne aadmi the?”, “Arre O Sambha”, “Holi kab hai, kab hai Holi?”, etc.

It would come as a complete surprise to many that out of these dialogues, Khan’s inspiration behind the line “Arre O Sambha” was his dhobi (laundry guy). This interesting trivia is disclosed by journalist turned author Roshmila Bhattacharya in her book ‘Bad Men: Bollywood’s Iconic Villains’. The book has numerous chapters based on some of the most iconic onscreen bad men from Hindi cinema. It is published by Rupa Publications.

Amjad Khan’s wife Shehla Khan told the author that her husband used to excel in mimicry of famous people. But Amjad’s father, the late actor Jayant, once told him that he should try and mimic ordinary people.

An excerpt from the book read, “Shehla remembers her father-in-law, actor Jayant, telling his son, ‘Tum khaas ki nakal karoge to pehchane jaaoge, agar nakal hi karni hai to aam ki karo (If you try to imitate a known person, you will be caught. If you have to imitate someone, let it be a common man).’ The words resonated with him, and Amjad Khan found his muses in the people around him, including their domestic worker and the dhobi (laundry man). ‘We had a dhobi who would call out to his wife, “Arrey O Shanti”, and from that was born “Arrey O Sambha”,’ reveals Shehla.”

This chapter from ‘Bad Men’ also looks at the period when Amjad Khan and his wife met with an accident when they were traveling from Mumbai to Goa in their car. Khan had to reach over there to shoot The Great Gambler after he missed his flight as he was shooting for the film Watan (which was later shelved). The veteran actor dozed off as their driver drove the vehicle. Later, when they were about to resume the journey after taking a break for tea at a stall, Khan asked their driver to rest, and he decided to take the wheel.

While he was trying to flip a cassette in the deck while driving, the car lost balance and banged into a tree. Khan broke his leg and 13 ribs while Shehla was also badly injured. Their son, driver and maid were unhurt. Khan and Shehla were rushed to the Panjim Medical Hospital.

An excerpt from the book read, “Amjad was wheeled in for an emergency surgery. ‘Since my right hand was broken, Amit-ji (Amitabh Bachchan), who had rushed over on getting the news, signed the consent forms for the tracheostomy. He must have been so nervous because Amjad’s condition was not good, but both Jaya and Amit-ji were by my side all day, consulting the doctors and making all the arrangements,’ Shehla relives the horror.”

The except continued, “Throughout his stay at the Panjim Medical Hospital, Amjad Khan’s The Great Gambler co-star and good friend, Amitabh Bachchan, would visit the hospital every day, urging him to get well soon. Later, when the actor himself was in hospital for months after being injured on the sets of Coolie (1983), Amjad sat by his bedside and boosted his spirits. Their yaarana (friendship) was real!”

Also Read: Ramesh Sippy recalls choosing Sholay over completed script of Majboor: “My father said don’t waste time”

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