1970 blockbuster low budget movie: In the 70s, such a promising actor was found, who romanced on screen with everyone from Neetu Kapoor to Jaya Bachchan. Along with this, he also gave tough competition to superstars like Jeetendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna. He won the hearts of the audience with his very first film. His debut film, made on a modest budget, proved to be a blockbuster. Let us tell you that Shatrughan Sinha had brought that hero into the film industry.
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You have seen the 1970 blockbuster ‘Chetna’. Oh, the same film which focused on the topic of rehabilitation of prostitutes. This film was directed by BR Ishara. Shatrughan Sinha, Anil Dhawan and Rehana Sultan did brilliant acting in the film. This film was Anil Dhawan’s first film. Shatrughan Sinha’s fortunes also started turning with this film. Whereas Anil Dhawan became a star overnight in this film.
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Anil Dhawan was in the lead role in the film ‘Chetna’ while Shatrughan Sinha played a very small role. He became Anil’s friend in the film. Very few people would know that Anil Dhawan got this film only because of Shatrughan Sinha. It was Shatrughan Sinha who had suggested Anil’s name to the director. When Anil Dhawan was doing diploma in acting at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, he met Shatrughan Sinha. It was from here that their friendship started. In this way, Anil got his blockbuster film while studying.
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You will be surprised to know that this film was made by BR Ishara on a very modest budget. According to imdb.com, the film ‘Chetna’ was made by the maker for only 95 thousand rupees. This was one of the cheapest films of that era. But the maker chose such a controversial subject due to which this film became the most sensational and controversial film of that time.
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While talking to Times of India, Anil Dhawan once shared a lot about BR Ishara. Along with this, he had also said that how his film Chetna, made on a modest budget, had shaken the foundation of the film industry. Producers of big films were scared of this film. He could not understand how people could like this film so much.
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Recalling BR Ishara, Anil Dhawan had said – I shudder to think what would have happened to me if Babu-da had not given me a break. Shatrughan Sinha had made me meet the director. I was in two minds about this film whether to do it or not because it was a small film with a big impact but it turned out to be the spark that left everyone in the entire film industry speechless with its earnings and success.
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Anil Dhawan had told that when the film Chetna was released, she stood outside the theater for a long time. This film was launched in Naz Cinema. The director of the film was very excited about this film. The decades long queues looked the same for three days as they did on the first day. This sequence continued for several days.
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Anil Dhawan had told that while the audience gave immense love to this film, some people also expressed a lot of objections about the film. There were many cases regarding the film and it was said that threats were also received to remove the film from theatres. This was a conspiracy of big producers. He felt threatened by this small film doing so well. He wondered whether even small to big films like ‘Chetna’ would suffer.
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However, it had a positive impact on the film. The film earned better at the box office than the opposition it faced. Everyone liked the look of the film’s heroine Rehana Sultan. The actress who used to roam around the apartment wearing a hero’s shirt, now shows her modern look in her films.
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Anil Dhawan said that he had seen BR Ishara very closely. He was connected to the land. He fondly called BR Ishara Babu-da. According to Anil, BR Ishara used to eat and sleep with films. He was a priceless gem for the film industry. He traveled wearing slippers. He just loved a pack of 555 cigarettes which would last him the whole day.
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