In Hindi cinema, delays are often dismissed as occupational hazards. Schedules clash, stars grow busier, and scripts keep evolving. Yet, on rare occasions, a film’s troubled journey leaves scars far deeper than budget overruns or postponed release dates. One such ill-fated project from the late 1970s not only stretched across four turbulent years but also fractured one of Bollywood’s most celebrated friendships and quietly derailed two other films in its wake. (News18 Hindi)

By the mid-1970s, Amitabh Bachchan had risen meteorically. The back-to-back success of Deewar (1975) and Sholay (1975) had turned him into the industry’s undisputed superstar. Around the same time, Dharmendra, already a major draw, was at the peak of his popularity. When the two came together for Ram Balram, expectations were sky-high. What followed, however, became a cautionary tale whispered about for decades. (News18 Hindi)

The film, directed by Vijay Anand, better known as Goldie, was mounted as a grand entertainer. Its cast was formidable – Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Rekha, Zeenat Aman, Ajit, Prem Chopra, Helen and Amjad Khan. Notably, it remains the only film in which Rekha and Zeenat Aman appeared together, a casting coup said to have happened at Bachchan’s insistence. (News18 Hindi)

When production began, Dharmendra was the bigger star and reportedly drew a higher fee. But as the years dragged on, the industry landscape changed dramatically. Bachchan delivered hit after hit, while Ram Balram struggled to secure dates from its leading men. What was meant to be a smooth shoot turned into a logistical nightmare, stretching across four years, an eternity by Bollywood standards of the time. (News18 Hindi)

Behind the scenes, tensions mounted. Producer Kushal Deep Singh Juneja, known as Tito, decided to move ahead with another Amitabh Bachchan project while Ram Balram remained stuck. That film was Mr Natwarlal, produced by Tony Juneja, Tito’s brother. While one film crawled, the other raced ahead. (News18 Hindi)

Directed by Rakesh Kumar, Mr Natwarlal released in 1979, well before Ram Balram finally reached theatres in 1980. Inspired by the real-life conman Mithlesh Kumar Srivastava, infamously known as Natwarlal, the film blended action, comedy and music with trademark masala flair. Its soundtrack, composed by Rajesh Roshan, became wildly popular, as did Bachchan’s now-iconic self-sung number, “Mere Paas Aao Mere Dosto”. (News18 Hindi)

As Mr Natwarlal performed reasonably well at the box office, the stalled Ram Balram continued to suffer. According to industry accounts, Vijay Anand grew increasingly frustrated with what he perceived as Dharmendra’s lack of focus, while Bachchan was known to arrive thoroughly prepared. Dubbing sessions reportedly became contentious, further souring relations on set. (News18 Hindi)

When Ram Balram finally released, it emerged as one of the bigger earners of 1980. Commercially, it could be called a success. Personally, it was anything but. After the film, Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra never worked together again, effectively ending a partnership audiences had adored since Sholay. The ripple effects did not stop there. During this period, Bachchan was also juggling Yash Chopra’s Silsila. Delays in dubbing, partly due to overlapping commitments and Bachchan’s role as distributor for Mr Natwarlal in the Mumbai circuit, strained his relationship with Chopra. When Silsila underperformed at the box office, the fallout was inevitable, marking another professional relationship bruised by circumstances rooted in the same chaotic phase. (News18 Hindi)