Rajiv Rai has returned to a question that has followed him for four decades: whether he should have replaced Sanjay Dutt in Yudh, his 1985 directorial debut. In a new conversation with journalist Vickey Lalwani, Rai says the recast was forced by circumstances—but the price, he now admits, was a friendship he has never got back.
A debut built on an old family equation
The Rai and Dutt families were intertwined before Yudh went before cameras. Rajiv Rai’s father, producer Gulshan Rai, financed Rocky, the 1981 film that launched Sanjay Dutt; it was directed by Sanjay Dutt’s father, Sunil Dutt. That history made the Yudh casting more than a professional arrangement.
Rai says Sanjay Dutt was originally set for the role eventually played by Jackie Shroff. Personal difficulties on the actor’s side made it hard to finish the film with him, and Rai ultimately recast the part.
One change, then a near-total reshoot
The decision cascaded through production. Rai says almost the entire film had to be filmed again, with only 20–30% of the original work remaining. Anil Kapoor was also recast along the way, adding to the disruption. The finished film, released in 1985, starred Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor in a double role, Tina Munim, Nutan, Danny Denzongpa and Hema Malini.
- Sanjay Dutt was originally cast in the role Jackie Shroff played.
- Only 20–30% of the work remained when the recast began.
- Almost the whole film was reshot, and Anil Kapoor was recast too.
What Rai says four decades later
The personal cost is the part Rai still revisits. He says the two are now “friends on the surface”, but “there is no close friendship anymore.” He described visiting Dutt’s home only once or twice after the decision, and said he was not happy making the call. “Sometimes, when I think about it I feel I shouldn’t have done it,” he added.
That regret is a rare admission in Hindi cinema, where casting changes are usually discussed as production logistics. Here, the filmmaker is explicit that the professional call came with private consequences.
Why it matters now
Sanjay Dutt has remained busy, with 2026 releases including The Raja Saab in January, Dhurandhar: The Revenge on March 19 and Aakhri Sawal on May 15. But the account also adds a fresh layer to the history of Yudh, a debut whose backstory now reads as a cautionary note about what a recast can quietly cost.
Source: The Times of India
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