The film broke the records of many major Bollywood blockbusters, including Hum Aapke Hain Koun, and earned the title of the highest-grossing Hindi film at the time.
Published: August 28, 2025 1:26 PM IST
Hum Aapke Hain Koun was the first Indian film to gross over Rs 100 crore. It is considered one of the most influential films in Indian cinema, and when adjusted for inflation, it remains the highest-grossing Indian film of the 1990s and one of the highest-earning Bollywood films ever. For years, no movie came close to breaking its record, until 2001, when a film was released that created a massive stir at the box office. Directed by Anil Sharma, the pairing of Sunny Deol and Amisha Patel made it the biggest hit of that era. We’re talking about Gadar: Ek Prem Katha.
Remarkably, the film broke the records of many major Bollywood blockbusters, including Hum Aapke Hain Koun, and earned the title of the highest-grossing Hindi film at the time.
However, very few people know that the story of this film was based on an incomplete project. Anil Sharma revealed that the idea of making Gadar came to him while he was working on another film. The name of that film was Kashmir, in which veteran actors Dilip Kumar and Dharmendra were supposed to be cast. Both actors had agreed to do the film, but it never took off, and the director still regrets that it couldn’t be made.
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’s success
Anil Sharma revealed that while developing a subplot for Kashmir, he was looking for a story involving a Pakistani girl and a Kashmiri boy. During this search, he came up with the complete story of Gadar. At the time, he decided that it should be made first, and Kashmir could follow later. However, Kashmir was never made, while Gadar went on to be recorded in the history of Indian cinema. The director said that when the story of Gadar came to him, he felt it would become the biggest Indian film ever.
He was so invested in the story that he left all other work and decided to focus solely on Gadar. However, even today, he regrets that he never got the chance to work with Dilip Kumar. Anil Sharma shared that when he informed Dilip Kumar about making Gadar, the veteran actor fully supported him. Dilip Sahab said it didn’t matter to him if Kashmir wasn’t being made, he considered himself bigger than any film. He advised Sharma to always follow his heart.
Dilip Kumar gave the inspiration to make Gadar
This encouragement further inspired Anil Sharma to pursue Gadar with even more passion. He still fondly remembers the moments spent with Dilip Kumar. He recalls that Dilip Sahab used to affectionately call him “Lale.” When Sharma narrated the scenes to him, Dilip Sahab would demonstrate the acting in various ways. For nearly an hour, he kept delivering the dialogues and performing them in different styles. Sharma says he has never seen anyone so dedicated.
