In 1992, Feroz Khan’s Yalgaar was released to mixed reviews. While the performances of Sanjay Dutt, Kabir Bedi, and Nagma, as well as the action sequences, were praised, the casting of Mukesh Khanna as Feroz Khan’s father faced criticism. Khanna, despite being a decade younger than Feroz Khan, played his father, a choice that became a point of ridicule in the industry.
In a recent interview, Mukesh Khanna candidly discussed the impact of this casting decision on his career. He admitted, “I became a joke in the industry”. Khanna recalled a specific scene where Feroz Khan called him “dad” which became a source of amusement in the industry. The unusual casting affected Khanna’s reputation, and he revealed that the incident had a lasting impact on his relationship with Feroz Khan.
Mukesh Khanna also shared that he distanced himself from Feroz Khan after the Yalgaar premiere, feeling snubbed by the director. The two later crossed paths at Sanjay Khan’s daughter’s wedding, where Feroz noticed Khanna avoiding him. When confronted, Feroz Khan explained that he had been stressed on the night of the premiere and had unintentionally overlooked Khanna.
During their conversation, Khanna expressed his dissatisfaction with the audience’s reaction to his role, telling Feroz Khan, “Sir, people did not accept me in your father’s role.” Feroz explained his casting decision by referencing Khanna’s iconic “Pitamah” image, which quieted Khanna but didn’t fully resolve his feelings about the role.
