Dharmendra's 'Mistake' Boosted Amitabh Bachchan's Career, Saved Him From Flop Tag

• Amitabh Bachchan faced 12 consecutive flops in the early 1970s and was considering leaving Mumbai.
• Writer duo Salim-Javed sought an 'angry-eyed hero' for their film 'Zanjeer', a departure from the 'chocolate hero' trend.
• Director Prakash Mehra initially approached Dharmendra for 'Zanjeer', but he declined due to scheduling conflicts and internal differences.
• After other big names like Dev Anand and Rajkumar also refused, Amitabh Bachchan was cast at Salim-Javed's insistence.
• 'Zanjeer' (1973) became a blockbuster, transforming Amitabh Bachchan from a 'flop master' into the 'Angry Young Man' and 'National Crush'.