Guess the movie name? This multi-starrer featuring 40 actors was rejected by 19 stars

New Delhi: Writer, director and producer JP Dutta has made only a limited number of films in his career, but most of them are still watched with equal enthusiasm to this day. Many of his movies featured some of the leading faces in Hindi cinema. But did you know that the 75-year-old filmmaker once took the silver screen by storm with a movie that is considered one of the longest Indian films ever made?

Yes, you guessed it right! Here, we are talking about LOC: Kargil. The historical war film was theatrically released on December 12, 2003. You will be amazed to know that it had a running time of four hours and 15 minutes. Now, that's massive! Isn't it?

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While it's a dream for actors to work with a big shot like JP Dutta, his LOC: Kargil was surprisingly rejected by many. Before LOC: Kargil, JP Dutta had made films like Yateem, Batwara, and Hathyar. However, all of these failed to leave a significant mark at the Box Office and turned out to be flops. According to a TV9Hindi report, this is believed to be the reason why not many stars had faith in his upcoming project at the time.

This is said to be the reason why about 19 stars rejected LOC: Kargil. Some considered it a weak subject, while others had scheduling conflicts. Finally, actors like Ajay Devgn, Manoj Bajpayee, Nagarjuna, Saif Ali Khan, and Abhishek Bachchan agreed to work on the film.

It is said that JP Dutta had approached Salman Khan for LOC: Kargil, but the director wanted Salman to do the film for free. In response, the Bhaijaan of B-Town reportedly asked the makers if they were planning to offer the film to distributors for free as well. If not, then why should he do it without payment?

Following this, JP Dutta approached Shah Rukh Khan for Sanjay Dutt's role, but things didn't work out. Anil Kapoor and Tusshar Kapoor also backed out of the project. Rahul Khanna even walked away after signing the film.

Similarly, Akshay Kumar, Sushmita Sen, Dino Morea, Arbaaz Khan, Jackie Shroff, Sameera Reddy, Mukesh Khanna, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Danny Denzongpa, Inder Kumar, Fardeen Khan, Sonu Sood, Bobby Deol and Salil Ankola all had their reasons for rejecting LOC: Kargil. However, this didn't stop JP Dutta from pursuing the venture with full enthusiasm.

During production, several titles were suggested for the film. Some proposed Mission Vijay, while others referred to it as Mission Kargil. Eventually, JP Dutta named it LOC: Kargil. As per Wikipedia, the film's budget was Rs 33 crore. Interestingly, the makers used real weapons during the shoot to add significant authenticity to the film's war sequences.

LOC: Kargil was based on the Kargil War fought between India and Pakistan in 1999. It portrayed the bravery of the Indian Army and their successful Operation Vijay, launched to eliminate Pakistani intrusion and occupation in the Kargil sector.

The film featured music composed by Anu Malik, with lyrics penned by the critically acclaimed Javed Akhtar. It is rumoured that the film's soundtrack album was the eighth highest-selling album of 2003.

Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, JP Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta, Border 2 is currently in the works. The upcoming film is being directed by Anurag Singh.

Border 2 is expected to be a grand cinematic spectacle featuring a star-studded ensemble cast, with Sunny Deol reprising his legendary character. It will also star Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty in key roles.

The original film, helmed by JP Dutta, emerged as a landmark in Indian cinema. Its storyline revolved around the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Interestingly, Border featured the unforgettable character of BSF officer Bhairav Singh, portrayed by Suniel Shetty. Making the sequel even more special, his son Ahan Shetty will be stepping into his father's shoes.

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With a touch of nostalgia, Border 2 is likely to create a storm at the Box Office, attracting audiences across diverse age groups. It is not only expected to evoke feelings of patriotism among viewers but also promises to elevate the entertainment quotient by bringing together a stellar cast, amalgamated with a strong nationalist spirit. Excited much?

Curated By - Raghav Jaitly!