No Bollywood enthusiast can forget the iconic dance number Kajra Re from the 2005 blockbuster Bunty Aur Babli. The song, which featured Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai, became a massive hit. Directed by Shaad Ali, the heist comedy saw Amitabh and Abhishek sharing the screen, with Aishwarya stealing the spotlight in the song. Kajra Re became even more memorable as Aishwarya married Abhishek a few years later.
Amitabh Bachchan’s Nostalgic Post
As Bunty Aur Babli celebrated its 19th anniversary this week, Amitabh Bachchan took to X (formerly Twitter) to reminisce. He reposted a still from Kajra Re showing him, Abhishek, and Aishwarya performing the song’s famous hook steps. He captioned it, “The song became so popular that it still regenerates attention and love .. and the best moments with the song, Bhaiyu, were when we performed this live on stage.” His nostalgic post, however, sparked conversations online.
Internet’s Reaction to Amitabh’s Post
Amitabh’s post raised eyebrows as he did not mention Aishwarya Rai, who was a crucial part of Kajra Re. An X user commented, “Sorry to say but Kajra Re was all about Aishwarya. Both of you were just supporting dancers in that song.” Another wrote, “But the credit for its popularity goes not to you but to Aishwarya, because I believe that if only you were there then it would have been popular, but because of Aishwarya it became most popular.”
Performing Live at Filmfare Awards 2006
The song’s popularity was evident when Amitabh and Abhishek performed Kajra Re live at the Filmfare Awards in 2006, with Aishwarya joining them on stage. Despite the collective performance, many believe Aishwarya’s presence and dance moves were the highlight of the song. Comments on X reflected this sentiment, with fans emphasizing Aishwarya’s significant contribution to the song’s success.
The Legacy of Bunty Aur Babli
Bunty Aur Babli, produced by Yash Raj Films, starred Rani Mukerji opposite Abhishek Bachchan. The film was a major success, leading to a sequel in 2022 directed by Varun V Sharma. The sequel, starring Rani, Saif Ali Khan (replacing Abhishek as Bunty), Siddhant Chaturvedi, Sharvari Wagh, and Pankaj Tripathi, did not perform well at the box office.