Successful on-screen pairings in Bollywood often lead filmmakers to collaborate with them repeatedly. Iconic pairs like Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol, Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone and Madhuri Dixit-Anil Kapoor have been cast together in multiple films due to their undeniable chemistry and box office success. One such example is Ajay Devgn and Twinkle Khanna, who starred in the 1996 hit Jaan. Directed by Raj Kanwar, the film resonated well with the audience, with veterans like Amrish Puri and Libi Rana also playing key roles. Ajay Devgn and Twinkle Khanna became the next big onscreen couple in Bollywood. The movie’s success at the box office encouraged the director to reunite the lead pair for another project. Following the triumph of Jaan, Raj Kanwar decided to cast Ajay and Twinkle once again in Itihaas (1997), hoping to replicate the same magic. This time, the film failed to impress the audience and became a box office flop. Despite the initial success of Jaan, the failure of Itihaas demonstrated that even popular pairs don’t guarantee repeated success in Bollywood.
Many believed that the failure of Itihaas was due to the director’s decision to recycle the same formula that had worked in Jaan. Raj Kanwar, in his haste to capitalise on the success of the earlier film, presented a storyline and plot that felt almost identical to the audience. While the new songs offered some freshness, the repetitive narrative left viewers disappointed.
The failure of Itihaas had significant repercussions, not only costing the filmmakers crores of rupees but also impacting the careers of its lead actors, Ajay Devgn and Twinkle Khanna. Ajay’s career took a hit, but he managed to recover over time, evolving into one of Bollywood’s most successful and versatile actors. His collaboration with Rohit Shetty in the Singham franchise played a major role in revitalising his career, and he is now set to return with Singham Again, a highly anticipated film directed by Shetty. Twinkle Khanna’s career trajectory changed after a series of box office failures including Itihaas. Following several back-to-back flops, Twinkle eventually stepped away from acting and shifted her focus to other creative endeavours, becoming a successful author and interior designer.
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