In the annals of Bollywood, few films have had as tumultuous a journey as The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Despite winning two National Awards, the movie turned into a financial nightmare for its producer, Ramesh Taurani.
The Financial Fallout
Released in 2002, The Legend of Bhagat Singh starred Ajay Devgn as the iconic freedom fighter. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film received critical acclaim, winning National Awards for Best Film and Best Actor. However, Ramesh Taurani, the producer, recounted in an interview with Showsha that the movie was a “big disaster” at the box office. The competition was fierce, with at least four other films on Bhagat Singh in production around the same time.
Taurani explained, “It didn’t do well because back then five Bhagat Singh films were being made, out of which the Sonu Sood one released a week before us and our film clashed with Sunny and Bobby’s 23rd March 1931: Shaheed. Another film was never finished, despite being filmed, and a Ramanand Sagar production released on Doordarshan a year later.”
The Economic Impact
The financial blow was severe. Taurani’s production house, Tips, invested Rs 27 crore into the project but managed to recover only Rs 5 crore, resulting in a staggering loss of Rs 22 crore. Taurani lamented, “Puri company ki economy hil gayi thi (the company’s entire economy was shaken).”
Despite the financial hit, the critical acclaim and national recognition were significant. “We paid everyone back. The risk was ours, but the work was theirs. We knew multiple films were being made on this and yet we took a call because of our script,” Taurani said.
Rumors and Reconciliations
Following the film’s failure, rumors swirled that Taurani was upset with director Rajkumar Santoshi, who moved on to work with other producers on his next project, Khakee. Taurani admitted there was tension but clarified that they eventually reconciled.
“We were upset because The Legend of Bhagat Singh faced such a huge loss and then he went on to his next with someone else. So that hurt was there, that we mounted such a big film on the conviction of the director, but it is fine. Maybe the financial benefit there was more,” he said.
After Khakee, Santoshi directed Family: Ties of Blood and Halla Bol. It was only later that Taurani reached out to Santoshi again, leading to their collaboration on Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, starring Ranbir Kapoor. “After that, everything was sorted,” Taurani added.
The duo went on to work together again in Phata Poster Nikhla Hero, starring Shahid Kapoor, demonstrating that in Bollywood, professional relationships can endure even after significant setbacks.