This actor produced film that flopped within just 15 minutes, sold his wife’s jewellery, home to fund it, even Zeenat Aman couldn’t save it; Film was…, lead actor was…

In the golden era of Hindi cinema, Dev Anand was a phenomenon. Girls queued to catch a glimpse of him. His pairing with leading ladies like Waheeda Rehman and Zeenat Aman became iconic. He was the man every aspiring actor wanted to be, a symbol of charm, success, and box office certainty.

But even for someone who seemed untouchable, one mistake proved costly. A single wrong decision, and in just 15 minutes, everything he had invested in a dream project was shattered.

What went wrong in just 15 minutes?

Recently, Dev Anand’s nephew, acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, recalled the painful chapter during an interview with Filmfare’s YouTube channel. He revealed how Dev Anand once spoke about the film that sank faster than anyone imagined.

It was 1974, and the film was Ishk Ishk Ishk. Dev Anand not only acted in it but also directed it, casting top names, Zeenat Aman, Shabana Azmi, Zarina Wahab, Jeewan, and Kabir Bedi. On paper, it was a surefire hit.

But on the night of the premiere, a call changed everything. As Dev Anand sat waiting for congratulatory messages, the phone rang, only to inform him that people were walking out before the film even ended. Within 15 minutes of its start, the damage was irreversible.

A price too high

Shekhar Kapur shared that a producer once told him about the lengths Dev Anand went to for Ishk Ishk Ishk. “He sold his wife’s jewellery and even his house to make that film,” the producer had said. When told about it, Dev Anand’s response was calm yet revealing, “Films are made like this.”

His dedication was unquestionable, but fate had other plans. Not even the presence of Zeenat Aman, whose beauty was considered a guarantee for success, could rescue the project.

Interestingly, this wasn’t Zeenat Aman’s first screen appearance with Dev Anand in Hare Rama Hare Krishna, as many believe. She had already worked with him in Ishk Ishk Ishk, though the film’s disastrous performance meant it never got the recognition.

The film’s failure didn’t erase Dev Anand’s legacy, but it did mark one of his most painful professional experiences. To invest so much, financially and emotionally, and watch it crumble in minutes would break most people. Yet, Dev Anand moved forward, continuing to deliver films and maintain his place in Bollywood history.

Shekhar Kapur’s anecdote serves as a reminder that even legends stumble. Sometimes, the fall is quick, unexpected, and brutally public, but it’s the ability to rise again that cements true stardom.

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