Why Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's India-Pak film 'Samjhauta Express' got shelved
Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra had once planned a film titled Samjhauta Express, aimed at promoting peace between India and Pakistan. The movie was set to star Abhishek Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, and Manisha Koirala and feature a special appearance by Amitabh Bachchan. The production was to be handled by Amitabh's A B Corp Ltd. However, the project never saw the light of day.
'Samjhauta Express' was a lighthearted take on Indo-Pak relations
Speaking to Zoom, Mehra revealed that Samjhauta Express was a lighthearted film meant to reach the masses. "It was a film that dealt with Indo-Pak relations. It was a very lighthearted subject, meant to reach out to the masses," he said. "I didn't want to address the Indo-Pak issue to the intellectuals...The intelligentsia doesn't need to see a movie to understand what ails the relations between the two neighbors."
'Samjhauta Express' was almost Bachchan's debut film
Interestingly, Samjhauta Express was almost finalized as Abhishek's debut film. However, director JP Dutta offered him Refugee at the last minute, which eventually became his launchpad in 2000. Mehra was also working on an Indo-UK production with Manoj Bajpayee back then. The filmmaker has been vocal about his concerns over the strained relations between India and Pakistan and the negative portrayal of Pakistan in some Indian films.
Mehra's encounter with a Pakistani restaurant owner
Interestingly, Mehra once met a Pakistani restaurant owner who was deeply upset with the anti-Pakistan sentiments shown in the war Teenu Verma's film Maa Tujhe Salaam. The man asked why actor Sunny Deol did such projects when he was loved by Pakistanis. This meeting further cemented Mehra's resolve to show a more compassionate side of the Indo-Pak situation through Samjhauta Express.
