From Vinod Khanna to Naseeruddin Shah: Why Some Bollywood Actors Clashed with Amitabh Bachchan

A look at the actors who clashed with Amitabh Bachchan—through rivalries, fallouts, and forgotten friendships

From on-screen chemistry to off-screen clashes, Amitabh Bachchan’s journey is filled with friendships that turned frosty. Be it Vinod Khanna’s silent exit, Shatrughan Sinha’s simmering grudges, or Naseeruddin Shah’s cold critique — Big B’s rise came with rivalries, heartbreaks, and bruised egos. This blog uncovers how and why some actors clashed with Amitabh Bachchan along the way.

Vinod Khanna: The Only Real Contender

In the multi-starrer–dominated 1970s, Vinod Khanna emerged as the only actor who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Amitabh Bachchan. Whether it was Parvarish, Amar Akbar Anthony, or Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, both men often shared the screen — but the spotlight almost always tilted towards Amitabh. Vinod himself acknowledged that “he stole the show,” yet firmly believed those films could not have been made without him.

While solo successes like Inkaar and Hatyara proved Vinod’s bankability, big producers like Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai were heavily invested in ensemble casts, where credit inevitably got divided. Off-screen, the media kept the “Bachchan vs. Khanna” debate alive — if you asked a hundred people, fifty would pick Vinod, fifty would pick Amitabh. This healthy yet persistent comparison bred a subtle undercurrent of rivalry, amplified by passionate fan clubs on both sides.

Vinod khanna openly called himself “the only contender” to Amitabh’s throne, but in 1978, at the height of his career, he stunned the industry by announcing his retirement to join Osho’s ashram. He denied running away from competition, insisting he had nothing to escape from and that “everyone knew where to find me.” His exit, however, cleared the path for Amitabh to dominate the next decade unchallenged — a shift that forever altered Bollywood’s star hierarchy.

Shatrughan Sinha: From Brothers to Strangers

The Shatrughan Sinha–Amitabh Bachchan dynamic started as a genuine friendship in the early ’70s. They used to meet frequently at Mehmood’s house before either had become a superstar. But over the years, what began as mutual respect turned into screen rivalry and then complete silence.

Shatrughan Sinha has openly said that he was the original choice for Deewaar — Salim–Javed had kept the script with him for six months. But the role eventually went to Amitabh. “We’re happy our friend got a great platform from Deewaar and Sholay, but it would have been better if things hadn’t gone that way,” he admitted years later.

Their relationship took a darker turn during Kala Patthar (1979). There was a significant disagreement over a fight scene involving their duplicates. The action master, Rohit Shetty’s father M.B. Shetty, choreographed a sequence where Amitabh’s dupe presses a spade to the neck of Shatrughan’s dupe — a move not written in the script.

Shatrughan protested strongly. “If Shashi Kapoor entered one second late, my character would be dead. That wasn’t part of the script,” he said. The shoot was halted for nearly four hours, and tempers flared. Eventually, the scene was rewritten so that both actors remained equal, with no winner in the fight — a creative compromise after a serious behind-the-scenes clash.

Things never really recovered after that. Sinha once mentioned that even on set, Amitabh’s team would not allow others under his umbrella, not even Shatrughan. He felt sidelined. Despite both stars appearing together in films like Shaan, Dostana, and Kaala Patthar, their distance only grew.

Over time, Shatrughan distanced himself from Bachchan completely. He’s said in multiple interviews, “When I contested elections, Amitabh didn’t support me. When he faced tough times, I stood by him. But when I needed him, he chose silence.”
Their fallout became one of Bollywood’s most famous cold wars — a friendship turned rivalry, driven by egos, script changes, and unspoken betrayals.

Naseeruddin Shah: No Space for Two Titans

Two legends. One ruled the world of commercial cinema, the other reigned in parallel cinema. But Amitabh Bachchan and Naseeruddin Shah never stood side by side as equals on the big screen — and that wasn’t a coincidence.

Naseeruddin Shah, known for his brutally honest (and often controversial) opinions, never held back when it came to Amitabh. He publicly said, “I don’t consider Amitabh Bachchan a great actor.” Even Sholay, one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated blockbusters, wasn’t spared. Naseer called it “fun, not great,” and even compared it to old-school masala entertainers like Sadhu Aur Shaitaan and Dara Singh’s films. The message was loud and clear — he didn’t buy into the “Angry Young Man” hype.

But the shade didn’t stop there. While praising Dilip Kumar for his selective, meaningful film choices, Naseer took a dig at Amitabh, saying, “An actor’s greatness depends on the films he chooses. And Amitabh didn’t make great choices.”

That stung. And it became apparent why these two never really worked together. Sure, Amitabh did a couple of cameos in Naseer-led films like Hero Hiralal and Jalwa, but they never shared equal screen space in any movie. And it wasn’t just about differences in style — it was ego, dominance, and perhaps even insecurity.

Insiders say Naseer never wanted to be overshadowed. With Amitabh’s larger-than-life screen presence, even strong actors like Amol Palekar or Farooq Sheikh would fade into the background. Naseer didn’t want to be just another name on the poster. He wanted equal ground — and with Amitabh, that was nearly impossible.

Mukesh Khanna & Kader Khan: From Trust to Distance

Kader Khan, who penned dialogues for many of Big B’s iconic films like Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Satte Pe Satta, drifted away after Bachchan’s political entry. In an old interview, Kader revealed how politics changed Amitabh, even claiming that Bachchan once threatened to campaign against him if he ever stood in elections.

Though their bond broke, Kader Khan kept remembering Amitabh in his final days — something his son Sarfaraz later confirmed — and Big B, too, paid a heartfelt tribute upon his passing.

Similarly, Mukesh Khanna, known for his powerful voice and serious image, once shared how being called a “duplicate Amitabh” impacted his career, especially after a producer claimed Bachchan himself mocked him.