The 1970s is coined as one of the golden periods of Bollywood as it delivered some of Indian cinema’s most iconic and culturally defining films.

Among the many names, there was one Amitabh Bachchan-starrer from this decade that shattered expectations and rewrote box-office history.

Critics dismissed it, audiences questioned it, and yet the film went on to become one of Bollywood’s biggest triumphs.

Wondering which film surprised everyone? We are referring to the 1977 film Amar Akbar Anthony. Made on a budget of Rs 1.2 crore, the film earned around 15× its cost, Rs 15.5 crore.

The mix of drama, comedy, action, miracles, and emotion baffled many critics at the time. Though based on a true incident, Desai added dramatic and emotional layers, including the debated Sai Baba miracle sequence, to blend realism with Bollywood masala magic.

Director Manmohan Desai conceived the story while reading a newspaper. After reading about a man who abandoned his three children in a park, he pieced together several other similar incidents that became the backbone of the film.

Another interesting incident from the film is the iconic drunken scene. Amitabh Bachchan’s legendary mirror scene as Anthony was shot without the director on set, and he delivered 14 perfect takes.

Bachchan’s comic timing, charm, and powerful performance made Anthony Gonsalves one of the most memorable characters in Hindi cinema.

Besides Amitabh Bachchan, the film was a powerhouse of star talent and featured Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Parveen Babi, Shabana Azmi, Nirupa Roy, Pran, and Jeevan in lead roles.

Songs, costumes, dialogues, everything from Amar Akbar Anthony became a part of pop culture and remains iconic even today.

Initially roasted by critics, the film became the highest-grossing film of 1977. It earned over Rs 7 crore that year and Rs 15.5 crore total.

It also earned multiple Filmfare nominations in the later years and became one of Bollywood’s most beloved classics.