When Shah Rukh Khan entered Bollywood with Deewana in 1992, few imagined how quickly he would rewrite the rules of stardom. His very first film was a hit, instantly turning him into a name to watch. But it was the following year, 1993, that truly cemented his rise, with two of his films making it to the top five box office grossers of the year. (News18 Hindi)
One was Darr, remembered for Khan’s obsessive villainous turn. The other was Baazigar, an action thriller that not only became the fourth-highest earner of 1993 but also marked a defining moment in his career. Ironically, before its release, Baazigar had already been written off as a disaster. (News18 Hindi)
Veteran actor Dalip Tahil, who played the central antagonist in the film, once recalled in an interview how industry insiders had dismissed the project during shooting. According to him, when the infamous scene was being filmed, where Shah Rukh’s character throws Shilpa Shetty off a building, many onlookers muttered, “Yeh hero kaisa hai yaar? The hero is killing the heroine! This film will never work.” (News18 Hindi)
The doubts were so strong that distributors and even the producers grew nervous. But Khan himself reportedly remained confident that the film would click with audiences. His instincts proved right. (News18 Hindi)
Upon release, Baazigar was embraced as a blockbuster. Viewers not only accepted but celebrated Shah Rukh as an anti-hero, a role that challenged conventional Bollywood heroism at the time. (News18 Hindi)
Directed by Abbas-Mustan and produced by Venus Movies, the film featured an ensemble cast including Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Shilpa Shetty, Dalip Tahil, and Rakhee. Its music, composed by Anu Malik, dominated the charts and remains popular to this day. (News18 Hindi)
Loosely based on Ira Levin’s 1953 novel A Kiss Before Dying and its 1991 Hollywood adaptation, the story followed a young man who resorts to ruthless vengeance after his family’s ruin. Made on a budget of around Rs 3 crore, Baazigar went on to collect nearly Rs 15 crore worldwide, according to Wikipedia, delivering five times its investment. (News18 Hindi)
The success of Baazigar was more than just financial. It shattered stereotypes, redefined audience expectations, and propelled Shah Rukh Khan into a new league of superstardom. Three decades later, the film remains a milestone, a proof that sometimes the riskiest roles create the biggest legends. (News18 Hindi)
