Bunty Aur Babli: Crime and Cons

The story of two small-town dreamers, played by Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji, conning their way through life struck a chord with audiences worldwide. The Shaad Ali-directed crime comedy also featured other standout elements – including an unforgettable turn by Amitabh Bachchan as the cop on their trail, and marvellous musical numbers such as the global smash hit Kajra Re.

Eastern Eye marks the 20th anniversary of this charming film – one that continues to hold a special place in pop culture – by presenting fun facts connected to it:

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Amitabh Bachchan

• Producers considered the titles Babli Aur Bunty and Bunty–Babli Ka Khel before settling on the final one, which had a better ring to it.
  
• The screenplay was written by Jaideep Sahni, who also penned acclaimed films including Company (2002), Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Chak De! India (2007), and Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009).
• While Rani Mukerji was the first choice for her role, actors such as Aftab Shivdasani, Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan were considered for Bunty before Abhishek Bachchan was finalised. Bachchan reportedly shed 12 kilos to prepare for the role.
• The role of no-nonsense police officer JCP Dashrath Singh, played by Amitabh Bachchan, was initially written as a much smaller part. It was expanded to give the film more gravitas and was rewritten specifically for him. It marked the first time he shared screen space with his son Abhishek. There were references to Amitabh’s classic films throughout Bunty Aur Babli, including in the background music.
• This was the first film to feature Puneet Issar and Amitabh Bachchan together after their near-fatal fight scene during the filming of Coolie (1983) – although they did not share screen space.

Aishwarya Rai in Kajra Re

• Before becoming a star, the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput worked as a background dancer in the song Nach Baliye.
• Real-life (reformed) con artists were consulted to help develop the scams shown in the film and ensure authenticity. Many of the tricks were based on actual incidents.
• Bunty Aur Babli was Shaad Ali’s second directorial venture after his successful debut Saathiya (2002). Unfortunately, his later films struggled at the box office.
• Sushmita Sen was considered for the iconic Kajra Re song before producers finalised Aishwarya Rai. It would be the only time she appeared on screen alongside her future family members Abhishek and Amitabh, all at once. The song was filmed on Abhishek’s birthday.
• Despite Kajra Re becoming the biggest Indian song of the year, singer Alisha Chinai was reportedly paid only ₹15,000 – around £135 in today’s money.

Stills from the film

• Rani Mukerji filmed the Dhadak Dhadak sequence near a well full of snakes and scorpions, unaware that the crew had spent three hours clearing the area. They were still not certain all the creatures had been removed.
  
• The opening Dhadak Dhadak train sequence was filmed with unaware passengers. Many later realised they had featured in a Bollywood shoot.
• Bunty Aur Babli received positive reviews and became the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2005.
• An alternate ending – where the protagonists are separated – was considered. However, filmmakers opted for a more upbeat conclusion, with the duo becoming crime consultants for the police. The ending was loosely inspired by the Hollywood film Catch Me If You Can (2002), which shares a similar theme.
• The film received eight Filmfare award nominations, including best film, best actor (Abhishek Bachchan), best actress (Rani Mukerji), and best supporting actor (Amitabh Bachchan). It won best music director (Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy), best lyricist (Gulzar), and best female playback singer (Alisha Chinai) for Kajra Re. Vaibhavi Merchant also received multiple choreography awards for the song.
• The film’s influence extended beyond cinema – after its release, several people reportedly began copying the cons shown on screen, with locals duping tourists by pretending to be government officials.
• The colourful, traditional outfits worn by Rani Mukerji became a fashion trend among female fans. There was a surge in demand for the so-called Bunty Aur Babli suits after the film was released.

Stills from the film

• The phrase ‘Bunty aur Babli’ has become synonymous with clever con jobs and remains a pop culture reference.
  
• The film was remade in Telugu as Bhale Dongalu (2008).

Stills from the film

• A sequel was initially planned much earlier but faced script delays. Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021) saw Rani Mukerji return, while Saif Ali Khan replaced Abhishek Bachchan. Unfortunately, the sequel failed at the box office.

Stills from the film

Twenty years on, Bunty Aur Babli continues to hold a special place in Bollywood history. With its perfect blend of humour, adventure and music, the film’s charm remains as infectious as ever.