Vidhu Vinod Chopra Was Refused Rs 5 Lakh For Munna Bhai MBBS, Self-Released It & Made Rs 1.5 Crore: ‘I Was Very Poor Back Then’
Vidhu Vinod Chopra recently revealed the challenges he faced in securing a distributor for his 2003 hit, Munna Bhai MBBS, starring Sanjay Dutt. Just days before the film’s release, a Tamil Nadu-based distributor withdrew his support. Chopra then took a bold step of self-distribution, which proved highly profitable.
During a discussion at the Kellogg School of Management, Chopra recalled what exactly happened!
Vidhu Vinod Chopra Self-Released Munna Bhai MBBS Due To THIS Reason
A distributor named Mohammad Bhai initially agreed to purchase the film but backed out, citing doubts about its audience appeal.
“It’s like what happened with 12th Fail. No one wanted to distribute Munna Bhai. There was this guy, Mohammad Bhai from Tamil Nadu, who agreed to buy it for 11 lakh. He gave me 5 lakh in advance. But after watching the film, he said nobody would understand it. So, I asked my production head to return his 5 lakh. At that time, we were very poor. We were broke then, but I returned it. This happened just three days before the release when he came to collect the print.”
Despite returning the distributor’s advance due to financial constraints, Chopra managed to secure a single show slot at the prestigious Satyam Theatre in Tamil Nadu through a friend, Shyam Shroff. This strategic move turned out to be immensely lucrative, with the film earning a remarkable 1.67 crore rupees from the region alone.
“I didn’t know what else to do, so I called my friend Shyam Shroff, who runs a theatre in Tamil Nadu. He agreed to give me a one-morning show slot at 11:45 for Munna Bhai. And you won’t believe it, but I earned 1.67 crore rupees from Tamil Nadu alone.”
Shah Rukh Khan Was Supposed To Play Munna Bhai, BUT…
Chopra also reflected on the casting process, revealing that Sanjay Dutt faced an industry-wide ban following legal issues. Nonetheless, Chopra remained committed to Dutt, fulfilling his promise to collaborate with him after Shah Rukh Khan exited from the project.
About Munna Bhai Franchise
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, Munna Bhai MBBS featured an ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt, his father Sunil Dutt, Gracy Singh, and Arshad Warsi.
The film’s success paved the way for a sequel, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, in 2006, which continued the legacy with Vidya Balan joining the cast opposite Sanjay Dutt. Both films remain cherished classics in Indian cinema.
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