Here’s why the famous Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. track ‘M Bole Toh’ features a unique mix of English and tapori slang, and how it traces back to Shah Rukh Khan.
Long before they finally teamed up for the 2023 film Dunki, Shah Rukh Khan and director Rajkumar Hirani almost made history together much earlier. It is a well-known piece of Bollywood trivia that the superstar was the original choice to play Murli Prasad Sharma in the 2003 cult classic Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. Unfortunately, a severe back injury forced King Khan to bow out of the project, paving the way for Sanjay Dutt to step into the iconic role of Munna.
In a recent interview with News18, filmmaker Farhad Samji opened up about his early days in the industry before he directed films like Housefull 4 and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Back then, Samji was a hungry young lyricist trying to make his mark.
He recalled a late-night phone call around 10 p.m. from music composer Anu Malik, who told him that producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani were coming for a music session the very next morning. Malik told Samji to crack a catchy mukhda. Knowing this was his golden ticket, Samji jumped at the chance.
Samji was given a very specific brief based entirely on their leading man. He was told that the main character was a tapori street hoodlum, but because Shah Rukh Khan was locked in to play the hero, the track needed a unique flavor. They asked him to mix local street slang with English words to match King Khan’s cool superstar image.
With Shah Rukh in mind, Samji sat down and wrote the famous lines, “M bole to Master mein Master, B bole to Bindass Doctor, S bole to Shaana Character.” The clever rhythm was created just to suit Shah Rukh’s high energy. The team loved it instantly.
While destiny had other plans, leading to Sanjay Dutt’s unforgettable performance, the fact that M Bole Toh was originally crafted for Shah Rukh makes the film’s history even more intriguing.
Released in 2003, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. follows a lovable gangster, Munna, who pretends to be a doctor to fulfill his father’s dream, but ends up enrolling in medical college where his street-smart ways bring humor, chaos, and heartwarming change to everyone around him. The film was well-received by the critics and the audience. It bagged the 2004 National Film Award for Best Popular Film.
