Shaan: Dharmendra, Hema Malini Rejected Sippy's Flop, Iconic Shakaal Born

• Ramesh Sippy's film "Shaan," released 45 years ago, was initially rejected by Dharmendra and Hema Malini.
• The movie introduced the iconic villain Shakaal, portrayed by Kulbhushan Kharbanda.
• "Shaan" was a large-scale, James Bond-style thriller with a high budget, but initially failed at the box office.
• Despite its initial commercial failure, "Shaan" later achieved cult classic status through television reruns.
• The film is known for its evergreen songs by RD Burman and won a Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography.

Why It Matters: A box office flop became a cult classic, defining iconic villain Shakaal and action dramas.