Aakhree Raasta: When K Bhagyaraj and Amitabh Bachchan got into an argument over a scene in ‘Aakhree Raasta’, the superstar went on to say, ‘You know the pulse of the audience’ | Hindi Film News

The Indian film industry lost one of its most celebrated writer-directors when veteran filmmaker K Bhagyaraj passed away on Saturday, June 27. Known for his unique storytelling, engaging characters, and effortless blend of humor and emotion, Bhagyaraj leaves a legacy that spans decades and multiple languages. While he is primarily considered a giant of Tamil cinema, his work also had a lasting impact on Hindi cinema, most memorably Aakhree Raasta (1986), which paired him with Amitabh Bachchan.When producer A Purnachandra Rao (popularly known as Poorna Chandra) approached Bhagyaraj to direct a Hindi film in the mid-1980s, the filmmaker’s story had already gained recognition among Hindi audiences through remakes of his Tamil hits. However, this time, Rao wanted Bhagyaraj himself to direct. The filmmaker was initially hesitant as Hindi cinema at the time was dominated by action films and he had made a name for himself with lighthearted family dramas. Despite his reservations, Rao persisted and eventually convinced Bhagyaraj to tell a story.The story was made into the Tamil film Oru Kaithiyin Diary (1984), directed by and starring Bharathiraja Kamal Hassan in a dual role. Rao envisioned Amitabh Bachchan helming the Hindi adaptation and arranged for the superstar to listen to the script in Chennai. While Amitabh loved the story, he reportedly questioned whether Bhagyaraj, who had never directed a big action film, could handle a project of this scale. Bhagyaraj later recalled that Purna Chandra defended him and told Amitabh that since the story was entirely Bhagyaraj’s creation, he knew how to execute it.The film eventually became Aakhree Raasta, released in 1986 by Lakshmi Productions. According to Bhagyaraj, Amitabh put him to the test on the first day of shooting. Despite having a complete script, the actor asked the director to explain how to shoot a specific scene. Bhagyaraj believes this is a test of his preparation. Before the explanation was complete, Armida reportedly smiled and said: “I understand. I think I can handle it now. This convinced Bhagyaraj that he had passed. He later described Bachchan as an “obedient student”.Since Bajiraj did not understand Hindi, he wrote the script in Tamil before translating it. Every morning, he acted out each scene himself so that Amitabh could judge whether the intended emotion survived the translation. This routine reportedly made Bachchan happy and he often joked about it on the sets.The biggest creative disagreement between the two came over a pivotal cemetery scene in which the father confronts his estranged son at his mother’s grave. Bhagyaraj recalled in an interview with Rediff’s Shobha Warrier, “We had an argument about it. I wanted the father and son to have a heated argument in English in the cemetery. He totally disagreed with me. He said the audience wouldn’t understand so much in English.” I refuse to give in. “After much deliberation, Amitabh agreed to trust the director’s instincts and the scene was shot in English.Bajiraj later revealed that Amitabh personally called him after the film’s release to admit that the decision paid off. “One day, he called me at midnight and said, ‘Sir, I observed the audience’s reaction to that particular scene. When I started speaking in English, the first applause started from the front row. It was only the educated class who applauded. You were right. You judged the pulse of the audience very well,” recalls Bhagyarraj.He also revealed that his wife Jaya had said that “Aakhree Raasta” felt less like an Amitabh Bachchan film and more like a “Bhagyaraj” film.The film, which co-starred Jaya Prada and Sridevi alongside Amitabh Bachchan, remains one of the superstar’s most memorable performances of the 1980s, and he continues to be remembered by audiences for his dual roles as a wrongfully imprisoned father and a policeman’s son.Years later, when Aakhree Raasta turned 33 in 2019, a fan took to social media to praise the film and Amitabh Bachchan looked back fondly on the collaboration. Responding to the appreciation, he wrote, “Thank you guys and express my gratitude, it was a great experience and a wonderful story, K Bhagyaraj, new to me but his guidance was very effective.”