A popular piece of Bollywood trivia, revisited over the years by Aamir Khan, reveals that ‘Teesri Manzil’ almost had a completely different leading man. What eventually became one of Shammi Kapoor’s most iconic films was initially planned with Dev Anand in the lead. However, an unexpected clash involving filmmaker Nasir Hussain led to a dramatic fallout that changed the film’s casting and direction entirely.When ‘Teesri Manzil’ had a different heroIn a chat with Mashable India, Aamir Khan once recalled, ‘Teesri Manzil’ was initially being developed with Dev Anand in the lead, with Nasir Hussain directing the project. At the same time, Nasir was also producing ‘Baharon Ke Sapne’, which was being helmed by his brother Vijay Anand and featured a young Rajesh Khanna alongside Asha Parekh. The two films were progressing simultaneously, but an unexpected incident soon altered their course.
Recounting what he had heard from his uncle, Aamir said the trouble began at actor Sadhana’s engagement party. “Nasir was very close to Vijay Anand and Nasir was also friends with Dev Anand,” he shared, before revealing what went wrong that evening.At the gathering, Dev allegedly compared the two films, referring to ‘Teesri Manzil’ as a “big film” while calling ‘Baharon Ke Sapne’ a “small film.” This did not sit well with Nasir, leading to an argument that quickly escalated.Describing the moment, Aamir said, “Nasir saab said there is no such thing as a small or big film. They started fighting and were hitting each other.” He added that he later checked the story with Sadhana herself, who confirmed the chaos, saying, “Haan haan, dono daru peeke jhagda kar rahe the.” (Yes, yes, both of them were drunk and fighting.) The incident, though surprising, became a turning point for both films.With Dev Anand’s exit came Shammi Kapoor’s entryFollowing the fallout, Nasir Hussain made a firm decision. Aamir recalled, “Dev will not be a part of ‘Teesri Manzil’, he is out.” The film was then handed over to Vijay Anand as director, while Shammi Kapoor stepped in as the lead. Meanwhile, Nasir shifted his focus to ‘Baharon Ke Sapne’. The reshuffle proved to be a masterstroke, with ‘Teesri Manzil’ going on to become a major success.An abrupt pause for Nasir Hussain and Dev Anand’s collaborationInterestingly, Nasir Hussain and Dev Anand had previously worked together on films like ‘Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai’, ‘Paying Guest’ and ‘Munimji’. This makes the fallout even more significant, as it brought an abrupt pause to a successful creative association. Looking back, the episode remains one of Bollywood’s most fascinating “what if” moments, where a single night changed the fate of a classic film.
