

Even minor characters like the bodyguard Zabisco acquired a cult status of their own. The film was among the biggest hits in the careers of all its stars - Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Shabana Azmi, Pran, Nirupa Roy, Jeevan and Ranjeet. Not only did it become a blockbuster hit, it also left an imprint on pop culture with its songs, its one-liners and the character of Anthony Gonsalves. In 1977, Manmohan Desai's Amar Akbar Anthony, preaching religious tolerance, was a landmark film in mainstream Bollywood. Amar Akbar Anthony was remade in Telugu as Ram Robert Rahim and in Malayalam, starring Mammootty, as John Jaffer Janardhanan.Nirupa Roy played Amitabh Bachchan's mother is six films other than Amar Akbar Anthony - Deewar, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Suhaag, Besharam, Mard and Lal Baadshah.They never sang together before or after. The song Humko Tumse Ho Gaya Hai is unique for bringing together four of the biggest singing stars of the time - Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Mohd Rafi and Mukesh.The typically street-style costume that Rishi Kapoor wore, including a net shirt, was sourced from Mumbai's Linking Road.

Director Manmohan Desai cast Amitabh Bachchan in every film he made after Amar Akbar Anthony - Suhaag, Naseeb, Desh Premee, Coolie, Mard, Ganga Jamuna Saraswati and Toofan which he didn't direct but produced.

They were played, respectively, by Prem Chopra, Danny Denzongpa and Pran.

In 1977, Manmohan Desai's Amar Akbar Anthony, preaching religious tolerance, was a landmark film in mainstream Bollywood.
