The on-screen pairing of Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha has been one of Indian cinema’s most iconic. They’ve given fans unforgettable films like Silsila, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Mr Natwarlal and more. But do you know the first film that were signed for was Duniya Ka Mela, which released in 1974? Rather unceremoniously, Amitabh Bachchan was dropped from the movie after his spate of initial flops.
But, the first time that Mr Bachchan and Rekha shot a song together was for Duniya Ka Mela, before his exit from the project. Interestingly, their song Tauba Tauba didn’t make it to theatres, but a copy of it exists today on YouTube and it’s worth checking out. These details were revealed in Rekha’s book titled, ‘Rekha: The Untold Story’ by author Yasser Usman. In a chapter dedicated to the friendship of Rekha and Jaya Bachchan, the book details this episode of Mr Bachchan and Rekha’s first ever song together. We reproduce the excerpt below.
The Chapter titled ‘Didibhai’ reveals, “The son of the famous Hindi poet and writer Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Amitabh started his career with Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’s Saat Hindustani (1969). The film was a flop and so were most of the subsequent films in which he played the lead. In fact, so was his luck that after being signed for a film with Rekha called Duniya Ka Mela (1974), and even though shooting had started, he was replaced with Sanjay Khan by the producer G.M. Roshan, who was convinced that Amitabh was jinxed. Amitabh and Rekha, though, had already shot the song Tauba Tauba, their first one together, it is available on YouTube – for the film, but the two did not get to interact much.” You can check out the Tauba Tauba song on YouTube embedded below:
But, the first time that Mr Bachchan and Rekha shot a song together was for Duniya Ka Mela, before his exit from the project. Interestingly, their song Tauba Tauba didn’t make it to theatres, but a copy of it exists today on YouTube and it’s worth checking out. These details were revealed in Rekha’s book titled, ‘Rekha: The Untold Story’ by author Yasser Usman. In a chapter dedicated to the friendship of Rekha and Jaya Bachchan, the book details this episode of Mr Bachchan and Rekha’s first ever song together. We reproduce the excerpt below.
The Chapter titled ‘Didibhai’ reveals, “The son of the famous Hindi poet and writer Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Amitabh started his career with Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’s Saat Hindustani (1969). The film was a flop and so were most of the subsequent films in which he played the lead. In fact, so was his luck that after being signed for a film with Rekha called Duniya Ka Mela (1974), and even though shooting had started, he was replaced with Sanjay Khan by the producer G.M. Roshan, who was convinced that Amitabh was jinxed. Amitabh and Rekha, though, had already shot the song Tauba Tauba, their first one together, it is available on YouTube – for the film, but the two did not get to interact much.” You can check out the Tauba Tauba song on YouTube embedded below:
Ye Chehra Ye Zulfe Jaadu Sa Kar Rahe Hai, Tauba Tauba
The song showcases both Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha as young actors and one can even notice that both actors have far less finesse than what we’ve seen in subsequent films like Suhaag, Do Anjaane and more. Even then, the novelty of watching Mr Bachchan and Rekha perform together for the first time is a reward in itself.
When Rekha revealed she was shamed for her ‘dark complexion’ and called an ‘Ugly duckling’
