Amitabh Bachchan recalls Yash Chopra's shift from 'Kabhi Kabhie' to 'Deewaar'
Synopsis
Amitabh Bachchan's on-air recollection on KBC reveals a little-known piece of Bollywood history — that Yash Chopra was simultaneously directing the romantic classic 'Kabhi Kabhie' and the gritty crime drama 'Deewaar', switching between the two sets within just two days. It's a reminder of a directorial range few filmmakers have matched.
Key Takeaways
Amitabh Bachchan recalled shooting 'Kabhi Kabhie' and 'Deewaar' almost simultaneously under director Yash Chopra .
Amitabh said the shift between the two contrasting films happened within just two days of each other. 'Deewaar' ( 1975 ) and 'Kabhi Kabhie' ( 1976 ) were both directed by Yash Chopra and starred Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor .
The recollection was triggered by actor Ayushmann Khurrana 's tribute performance of 'Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein' on Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 .
Ayushmann appeared on KBC to promote his upcoming film 'Udta Teer' ; Sara Ali Khan also joined the birthday celebrations for Amitabh.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan recently shared a nostalgic account of working with the late director Yash Chopra on two strikingly different films — the lyrical romantic drama 'Kabhi Kabhie' and the gritty crime saga 'Deewaar' — calling the filmmaker's ability to straddle both worlds a mark of true greatness.
A Surprise Tribute on KBC
The reminiscence unfolded on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 on Sony Entertainment Television, when actor Ayushmann Khurrana appeared as a guest to promote his upcoming film 'Udta Teer'. Ayushmann opened the segment with a heartfelt rendition of the iconic title track 'Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein', prompting Amitabh to respond with warmth and recall.
'Thank you, you have brought back so many old memories,' Amitabh told Ayushmann. 'This song is from our film Kabhi Kabhie, and this is a Yash Chopra ji film.'
The 'Strange' Simultaneous Shoot
What Amitabh described as 'very strange' and 'hard to believe' was the fact that both films were being shot almost concurrently. 'I remember that this film was shot in Kashmir,' he said, 'and the strange thing is that when we were shooting Kabhi Kabhie, at the same time, we were also shooting another film by Yash ji called Deewaar.'
He elaborated: 'Just two days after the shooting of Deewaar, the shooting of Kabhi Kabhie began.' The logistical and creative leap that implied — moving between two diametrically opposed films within days — left a lasting impression on the veteran actor. 'How Yash ji transformed himself and how he changed the atmosphere — that was the greatness of Yash ji,' Amitabh said.
About the Two Films
Deewaar, released in 1975, featured Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy, Parveen Babi, and others. The film depicted two impoverished brothers who grow up in the slums and eventually find themselves on opposing sides of the law — a narrative far removed from romance.
Kabhi Kabhie, released in 1976, was written by Pamela Chopra and starred Waheeda Rehman, Shashi Kapoor, Raakhee, Rishi Kapoor, and Neetu Singh, alongside Amitabh. It remains one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated romantic musicals. Both films were directed by Yash Chopra, with Deewaar preceding Kabhi Kabhie as the filmmaker's collaboration with Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan.
Birthday Celebrations and Iconic Dialogues
The occasion on KBC was also marked by birthday celebrations for Amitabh Bachchan, whose birthday falls in October. Both Ayushmann and co-guest Sara Ali Khan joined in honouring the megastar, requesting him to deliver some of his most iconic dialogues across different emotional registers — a tribute to his unmatched range and enduring legacy in Indian cinema.
Amitabh's candid recollection underscores just how exceptional Yash Chopra's creative range was — and why his films, from sweeping romances to hard-edged dramas, continue to define Hindi cinema's golden era.
Point of View
But 'Deewaar' is as much his film as 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'. The fact that he toggled between both registers within days of each other, on location, with overlapping casts, points to a discipline and imaginative range that modern directors, working on single projects for years, might find instructive. It also raises a question Hindi film history hasn't fully answered: would Yash Chopra have continued alternating between social realism and romance had commercial pressures not eventually pulled him decisively toward one lane?
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Amitabh Bachchan say about Yash Chopra on KBC?
Amitabh Bachchan said it was 'very strange' and 'hard to believe' that Yash Chopra — known primarily as a romantic director — simultaneously helmed the gritty crime drama 'Deewaar' and the romantic classic 'Kabhi Kabhie', switching between the two sets within just two days. He credited this creative range as a mark of Chopra's greatness.
Were 'Kabhi Kabhie' and 'Deewaar' really shot at the same time?
According to Amitabh Bachchan's account on KBC, both films were shot nearly concurrently, with 'Kabhi Kabhie' beginning just two days after the 'Deewaar' shoot. 'Kabhi Kabhie' was partially filmed in Kashmir.
Who appeared on KBC to prompt this conversation?
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana visited Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 to promote his upcoming film 'Udta Teer'. He sang the title track 'Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein', which led Amitabh to share his memories of the film and Yash Chopra.
What are the key differences between 'Kabhi Kabhie' and 'Deewaar'?
'Deewaar' (1975) is a gritty crime drama about two brothers from the slums who end up on opposite sides of the law, while 'Kabhi Kabhie' (1976) is a lyrical romantic musical written by Pamela Chopra. Despite their tonal contrast, both were directed by Yash Chopra and starred Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor.
Who else featured in 'Kabhi Kabhie' and 'Deewaar'?
'Kabhi Kabhie' starred Waheeda Rehman, Shashi Kapoor, Raakhee, Rishi Kapoor, and Neetu Singh alongside Amitabh Bachchan. 'Deewaar' featured Shashi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy, Parveen Babi, Iftekhar, Madan Puri, Satyen Kappu, and Manmohan Krishna.
