Real Villains, Reel Heroes: How Actors Met Gangsters for Blockbuster Films

• Actors for films like Zanjeer, Deewaar, and Satya met real-life criminals and gangsters to embody their characters authentically, leading to iconic performances.
• Ajit Khan's 'Dharam Teja' in Zanjeer was inspired by a real NRI loan defaulter, whom Ajit Khan met and observed for his calm demeanor.
• Pran's 'Sher Khan' in Zanjeer was based on Mumbai underworld don Karim Lala, whose real name was Abdul Karim Sher Khan.
• Amitabh Bachchan's 'Vijay' in Deewaar drew inspiration from Mumbai don Haji Mastan, mirroring his journey from coolie to gangster.
• Manoj Bajpayee's 'Bhiku Mhatre' in Satya was influenced by a criminal from his hometown, contributing to the film's realistic portrayal of the underworld.

Why It Matters: Iconic Hindi films achieved cult status by having actors draw inspiration directly from real-life gangsters.