Distributors initially loved the film Aradhana but objected to Rajesh Khanna's character calling the heroine 'Maa', even offering to pay for reshoots and Khanna's replacement. Director Shakti Samanta refused, and the distributors eventually relented. This decision proved crucial as the film's early release in Delhi propelled Khanna from a struggling actor to a superstar, demonstrating the significant influence distributors once held over Hindi cinema.