Betaab was a launch pad for Dharmendra’s elder son Sunny Deol . Dharamji not only produced the film he also got RahulRawail to direct . Rahul had earlier launched Dharamji’s colleague Rajendra Kumar’s son KumarGaurav successfully in Love Story. “I told Rahul only one thing. Make a film that all of us would be proud of,” Dharamji recalls.
A nationwide hunt was launched for the girl who would star opposite Sunny Deol. After considering many girls, Dharamji and Rahul zeroed in on socialite and Sanjay Gandhi’s close associate Rukhsana Sultan’s perky daughter. Amrita Singh not only signed Betaab she went on to become a very close friend of Sunny Deol. They subsequently did another Deol home production together—Sunny. It bombed miserably. Recalls Dharamji warmly, “Amrita was a part of our family. Hamarebachchebahotghul-mil gaye(Sunny and Amrita became friends).” Years later, Sunny wanted to launch his son Karan opposite Amrita Singh’s daughter Sara in continuation of the Betaab couple.Amrita refused.
Betaab was written by JavedAkhar in his first solo outing after he split with Salim Khan. It was actually a take on Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew where a commoner kidnaps a girl from a wealthy family and teaches her how to live like an ordinary woman. Says Dharamji, “I think that story had already been done with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.And Dilip Saab’s Aan with Nadira was also similar. In BetaabJaved wrote the screenplay with all-new twists.”
R D Burman’s music went a long way in making Betaab a superhit. The song Jab hum jawanhongejaanekahaanhonge by Lataji and ShabbirKapoor carried the film to a repeat value. Says Dharamji, “Oh my God! Jab hum jawaanhongejaanekahanhonge contributed more to making Sunny a star than any other factor.I’ve always been a fan of Lataji’s singing. When I turned producer for Betaab she had to sing in it.”
Betaab was released during the year of major blockbusters Himmatwala, AndhaKanoon , Coolie and Hero.It became the second biggest hit of the year.
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