Amitabh Bachchan has long been celebrated not just for his commanding screen presence, but also for his unmatched commitment to his craft. In over five decades in the film industry, he has redefined what it means to be a true performer, someone who challenges himself with every role, every dialogue and every dance step. But even the most confident stars have moments of doubt and one such moment came during the making of Jumma Chumma De De, one of the boldest and most iconic songs of Amitabh Bachchan.
Choreographer Chinni Prakash recently shared how the megastar himself was initially unsure about the song’s famous hook step. He recalled that Amitabh Bachchan had invited him to his vanity van, back then, a rare luxury with only two in the entire industry, one belonging to Amitabh Bachchan and the other to filmmaker Manmohan Desai. The superstar played the song on his state-of-the-art speakers, already showing the technical curiosity that set him apart even in the late 1980s.
When it came to choreographing the song, however, nerves ran high. Director Mukul Anand wasn’t convinced about the signature step and Chinni Prakash’s own assistants were too scared to demonstrate it to Amitabh Bachchan. Late one night, Chinni received a call saying that his team refused to perform the move in front of the star, they were simply too scared. So he decided to do it himself.
Chinni Prakash described how he danced through the entire song in front of Amitabh Bachchan, with his team accompanying him. Amitabh Bachchan watched closely before saying he would need three months to rehearse, even requesting that the shoot be postponed. The actor worried that the step might look awkward on his tall frame, joking that it worked for Chinni because he was shorter. But the choreographer insisted, assuring him that it would become a hit if he trusted the rhythm.
When the final version was screened, with Jaya Bachchan and a young Abhishek in attendance, the room was silent throughout the song. Then, as soon as it ended, the audience erupted in applause. Jaya Bachchan praised how fantastic it looked on screen and in that moment, everyone knew they had created something special.
More than thirty years later, Jumma Chumma De De remains one of the most memorable songs of Hindi cinema, a symbol of Amitabh Bachchan’s willingness to take creative risks, even when he was not sure of the outcome. And as history shows, his instincts and that daring hook step turned out to be pure magic.
