Amitabh Bachchan’s early years in Hindi cinema were filled with physically demanding action sequences, many performed without the safety measures available to actors today. One such incident occurred during the making of ‘Khoon Pasina’, when Bachchan decided to face a real tiger on camera. Veteran action master Mohan Baggad has now recalled how the birth of Bachchan’s son Abhishek unexpectedly gave the actor the confidence to attempt the dangerous sequence.Before Big B stepped into the scene, Mohan Baggad was responsible for performing the sequence. The makers wanted a stunt performer who would look convincing alongside Bachchan, so action director Veeru Devgan approached Baggad.Speaking to Hindi Rush, Baggad recalled his nervousness when told the stunt involved a tiger.“I did a stunt for Amitabh Bachchan in Khoon Pasina, which had a tiger. The original stunt guy for Amit ji had a dark complexion. So, the makers thought it wouldn’t work. The director asked Veeru Devgan (action director) if one of his team members could do it instead. He asked me if I would do it. I said yes though I was scared since it was with a tiger.”The precautions were limited, and Baggad was specifically warned against confronting the animal directly. “I was asked not to face the tiger. If it hit me with its paw, it could mutilate my face! After doing a few shots, I got used to it. So, I did the scene for the next two to three days. When Amit ji saw me, he also got the encouragement and said, ‘I’d do the scene too,’” added Mohan.
News from home changed the atmosphere
What happened next became one of the most memorable parts of Baggad’s recollection. The cast and crew were shooting in Kandivali when Amitabh Bachchan received news that his son was born on February 5, 1976. Baggad recalled Bachchan’s reaction and how the actor connected his newborn son’s arrival with the dangerous scene he was about to perform.“We were shooting in Kandivali, and he got a call saying, ‘Aap ke ghar mein ladka paida hua hai.’ So, he said, ‘Ye sher hai toh main bhi sher hu. Mere ghar pe ek sher paida hua hai.’ So, he also gave some nice shots.” (A son has been born in your house.” So, he said, “If he is a lion, then I am a lion too. A lion has been born in my house)For Amitabh Bachchan, the moment appeared to provide a personal boost of confidence. The actor went ahead with the sequence himself, despite knowing the risks involved.
When real animals made action sequences unpredictable
The dangers of working with wild animals were not limited to the possibility of a bad take. Baggad revealed that the tiger knocked him down during ‘Khoon Pasina’, causing his head to hit the ground and leaving him unconscious.Another incident occurred while he was performing a tiger sequence for Bachchan in Rakesh Kumar’s ‘Mr. Natwarlal’. The stunt left visible marks on Baggad’s face. “The tiger hit me with its paw, so I still have injury marks on my face. Another friend of mine even got 10-12 stitches,” said Mohan.According to him, the animals were not trained performers, making every interaction unpredictable. “The tigers weren’t trained. Only their mouths were stitched. But since they’d get angry by that, they’d attack everyone,” he added.
Dharmendra was equally fearless
Baggad also remembered another major star who was willing to put himself directly into dangerous animal sequences. Dharmendra, he said, did not depend on a stunt double while filming scenes involving a leopard for ‘Kartavya’.“Dharmendra shot the scenes with the leopard himself in Kartavya. He would not use duplicates,” revealed Mohan, referring to Mohan Segal’s 1979 action film.These stories offer a glimpse into an era when leading actors and stunt performers routinely faced real physical dangers while filming action scenes, long before technology and visual effects transformed how such sequences were created.
