Priyanka Chopra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan hold records.
By Tathagata Mitra
BANGALORE: Humshakals, set to release this summer, features three of its stars, Saif Ali Khan, Ram Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh, in triple roles. This is the first time three people in lead roles in the same movie have been cast in triple roles. However, this is not the first time Bollywood is venturing into a lead actor playing multiple roles.
Bollywood is known for putting one actor in the skin of multiple characters. Who can forget Ashutosh Gowariker’s fateful rom-com ‘What’s your Rashee?’ (2009) where Priyanka Chopra played 12 prospective wives of one very unsure Harman Baweja.
Of course, if we go back in time we will find Sanjeev Kumar playing 9 roles in the film Naya Din Nayi Raat (1974), the most after Priyanka Chopra’s roles, as mentioned above.
There hasn’t been a single year since 1959 without at least one movie with a double or triple role by one or more of the actors.
Amitabh Bachchan is held in special regard when it comes to double roles, for he holds the record for maximum number of double roles done in an entire career by any actor. He has acted in double roles in 12 films with a triple role in ‘Mahaan’ in 1983.
In the early 2000s, the concept of lead actors playing a double role took a backseat, as it was reduced to supporting characters doing it for the sake of comic relief. But with films like Krrish (2006), Don (2006), Dhoom 2 (2006) and Om Shanti Om (2007), multiple roles was suddenly in fashion again. And of course a few years later came films like Kaminey (2009) and Love Aaj Kal (2009).
According to rumors, Hrithik Roshan wanted to bag the role of the villain of Krrish 3 for himself (the same role that earned Vivek Oberoi so much popularity), which would make it a triple role for him. But his father, the director, Rakesh Roshan intervened and it never came to be.
Director Sajid Khan’s Humshakals also features Tamanna Bhatia, Esha Gupta and Bipasha Basu. The film is set to release on June 20th. Khan and the producer, Vashu Bhagnani, are confident that the film will cross the 100 crore mark.