It was on 1 July 2005 that 'Sarkar', the political crime thriller, hit the screens. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma and starring Amitabh Bachchan in the titular role, the film was a box-office hit. It also attained a cult status in due course of time.

As the film turns 15, Big B and RGV on Wednesday remembered the film fondly. "SARKAAAR! It has been 15 YEARS since SARKAR and you (referring to Amitabh) are looking like a cross between a LION and a TIGER," RGV tweeted.

Also starring Abhishek Bachchan, Kay Kay Menon, Katrina Kaif and others, it was described as an "indigenised The Godfather", with RGV himself mincing no words about the inspiration.

The film had sequels in the form of 'Sarkar Raj' (2008) and 'Sarkar 3' (2017). Neither of these enjoyed the kind of popularity that 'Sarkar' did.

T 3581 - 15 yrs of SARKAR !

घड़ियाँ दिन की बीत जाती हैं
सालों बाद ,छवि उनकी सामने आती है
याद आते हैं वो क्षण,
वो चित्रण, अर्पण, दर्पण
कारण था प्रण, समर्पण, स्पष्टीकरण ,
की यही हो उदाहरण,
इस रूपांतरण का आभूषण फ़िल्मीकरण,
चले वर्षों, रहे आमरण !!
मंगलाचरण, मंगलाचरण, मंगलाचरण pic.twitter.com/0ihpcRAlO5

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 2, 2020

SARKAAAR! it’s been 15 YEARS?????? since SARKAR and you are looking like a cross between a LION and a TIGER ?????? ⁦@SrBachchan⁩ pic.twitter.com/ZLAsVkTYeZ

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) July 2, 2020