On 23 November 1992, ‘Jigar’ released in theatres. This was Ajay Devgn’s second film after ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ (1991). The Kuku Kohli directed film proved to be a massive success and turned Ajay Devgn into a star overnight. The expectations from ‘Jigar’, the actor’s second release, therefore, were humungous.
‘Jigar’, became one of the biggest hits of 1992 and played a key role in propelling Ajay Devgn’s career further. Last month, the film completed 34 years of its release. The film proved to be very important in the careers of many individuals, including Akram Khan, who served as the director of photography.
Reminiscing about his memories associated with the film, Akram says, “Veeru Devgan ji was my guru and margdarshak (guide) in the film industry. ‘Phool Aur Kaante’, Ajay’s first film, was about to reach the finishing line. The next film he was about to start working on was ‘Platform’ (1993). We would often discuss ideas among each other and talk about the kind of film Ajay should do next. One day, Veeru ji came up with this particular subject. First, he took it to producer Vijay Soorma. When things did not work out with him, he approached Salim Akhtar. He instantly liked it. He suggested Farogh Siddique’s name as the director. Since I had worked under Veeru ji for years, he got me on board on this film.”
‘Jigar’ was widely publicized as one of the first martial arts film to have been released in India. The film featured extensively choreographed action sequences which, undoubtedly, contributed towards its success. These action sequences were choreographed by Veeru Devgan.
“Veeru ji, as we all know, has been one of the greatest action directors in our industry. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked under him for years. In a way, I owe my career to him. He would always work towards bringing some innovation through his action sequences. He did the same with ‘Jigar’. Martial arts gained a lot of popularity in India through this film. Ajay had already showcased how good he was in action in his first film. This film cemented his image as an action hero. A large portion of the film was shot in The Monarch, Mithoon Chakraborty’s hotel in Ooty”, he says.
‘Jigar’ marked the debut of Farogh Siddique as a director. After this, he went on to direct a bunch of films, including ‘Vijaypath’ and ‘The Don’. His last release as a director was ‘Desh Ke Gaddar’, a film featuring Dharmendra, Raj Babbar, Farah Naaz, Abhishek Kapoor and Farah Naaz in principal roles. The film, which was shot sometime in the mid ‘90s, released in theatres in 2024. Farogh passed away earlier this year.
“I get a little emotional talking about ‘Jigar’ as many of those who worked on the film are no longer with us. Veeru ji, my guru, left us in 2019. Farogh Siddique passed away in June this year. Salim (Akhtar) saab, the producer of the film, also passed away a few years ago. The film released a few days before Diwali in 1992 and became a big hit. I remember the film had released with 400-500 at that time. I would always remember Salim saab as one of the best producers I have worked with. He was a man of his words. He gave a break to so many actors, filmmakers and technicians. I also worked with him on ‘Mehndi’ (1998)”, says Akram.
After spending more than three decades in the film industry, Akram continues to work actively as a director of photography. Apart from working on feature films, he also lends his expertise as a cinematographer on music videos and commercials.