What made me direct "Ram Aur Shyam" is the question often asked of me. Well, primarily, I had the right basic ingredient, an absorbing story that could prove to be a highly entertaining screen spectacle. The encouraging factor was the remarkable success that attended the Telugu and Tamil films of this story.

The decisive factor was of course, the inimitable Dilip Kumar. When Dilip Kumar agreed to enact his First Dual Role as Ram and Shyam. I needed no further reassurance. I decided to produce Ram Aur Shyam, my first Hindi vehicle. 

In graceful Waheeda Rehman, we had an artiste of matching calibre of Dilip Kumar. She has brought to the role of Anjana, Shyam's love, great depth and poignancy. Mumtaz too get a perfect role as the charming Shanta.

Perfect team work from artistes and technicians has marked the smooth course of this production.

Music Maestro Naushad's tunes has permeated the whole film with the pleasant aura of sweet melody.

What happened when Ram Aur Shyam was released towards the end of 1967 is now common knowledge. "The entire risk of film was of the film was on my head" commented Tapi Chankaya. 

But Tapi Chankaya is a strong believer in destiny and stars and makes no bones about his beliefs. " I had faith in my film from the very start ", he says, 

" I knew what business it was capable of doing, and  when it went on to become the biggest box office smasher of previous year, I was not at all surprised!"

" Ram Aur Shyam" is incredible on several counts. It is the fourth biggest runway hit in current times along with Mughal E Azam, Ganga Jamuna and Phool Aur Patthar. It is the biggest hit in the entire career of Waheeda Rehman and Mumtaz. Dilip Kumar , who had faced a lean phase with Leader and Dil Diya Dard Liya underperforming at the box office , It was Ram aur Shyam that gave a new leash to to his career.