.png)
2 hours ago
4
4 min readFeb 28, 2026 02:39 PM IST
The character of Mogambo has been etched into the minds of all.
Mogambo needs no introduction. Anyone who has heard of Mr India, knows that the character is etched in history (much like Gabbar Singh from Sholay). Even decades later, audiences vividly remember Amrish Puri’s towering performance, especially the iconic line penned by Javed Akhtar, “Mogambo khush hua”. Recently, director Shekhar Kapur revealed that he had no idea the character, and particularly that line, would become so iconic. In a conversation with The Lallantop, Shekhar recalled his first discussion with Javed about Mogambo.
Amrish Puri was done with Mogambo
Shekhar recalled his chat with Javed and said, “When I asked him what the character of Mogambo was, he gave me this line, ‘Mogambo khush hua.’ I asked him, ‘Are you convinced with it?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ That’s why I tried to make the line interesting by shooting it in a way that whenever he says it, he is either playing with his rings or delivering it in ten or fifteen different ways.”
Shekhar added that Javed had foreseen the impact of this dialogue. “He was right. I remember he told me, ‘Shekhar saab, if you shoot this properly, then in Sharjah, when Kapil Dev hits six sixes in six balls, people will say, ‘Mogambo khush hua’. And that is exactly what happened. People were standing with placards that had the line written on them.”
However, the dialogue’s popularity eventually became overwhelming for Amrish Puri. Shekhar recalled the actor’s humorous frustration, “I remember once Amrish ji told me, ‘Where have you gotten me trapped? Wherever I go for any function, people ask me to say the dialogue, as if I have done nothing else in my life.’”
Mogambo costume made for Rs 25,000
Mogambo was as famous for his dialogues as he was for his costume. Recently, veteran dressmaker Madhav Agasti, who designed the villain’s look, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter India about the creative challenge posed by the director. The brief was that the villain had to resemble both a “foreign general” and an Indian zamindar (landlord). “I used an all-black coat along with breeches and long riding boots that zamindars in the colonial era would wear. The Western vibe came from the epaulettes on his shoulder straps. The entire ensemble was created under Rs 25,000,” Agasti said. He also recalled Amrish Puri’s delighted reaction upon seeing the costume. The actor reportedly turned to him and said, “Mogambo… khush hua.”
Amitabh Bachchan inspiration for Mr India
Interestingly, Javed Akhtar previously revealed that the original inspiration behind Mr India stemmed from none other than Amitabh Bachchan. Recounting how the idea was conceived, Javed said that during a film’s muhurat (launch ceremony), which Bachchan was supposed to attend, the actor was unavailable. Instead, his recorded voice was played at the event. “He had to do the muhurat, and because of some reason, they recorded Amitabh’s voice and played it during the muhurat shot. That gave me an idea, if this voice is so popular, so effective, why can’t we make the Invisible Man with him? We wouldn’t have to take his dates either. Most of the time we could shoot, and he would later dub his voice. That is how the idea started,” he shared with Mid-day.
English (US) ·