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Amitabh Bachchan

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Amitabh Bachchan
File:AmitabhBhachchan.jpg
OccupationActor

Amitabh Bachchan (born October 11, 1942, in Allahabad, India) also known as Big B, is an Indian actor whose Bollywood career has spanned over four decades.

Biography

Amitabh was born to Teji and Harivansh Rai 'Bachchan'. Harivansh Rai was a well known Hindi poet. Amitabh attended Boys' High School in Allahabad followed by Sherwood College in Nainital and went on to Delhi University to earn a degree in science.

Bachchan began making films in 1969 with Saat Hindustani. He became well known as a movie star in 1973, with the films Abhimaan and Zanjeer. While his popularity waned in the 1990s, Bachchan made a comeback in the early 2000s by hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

In 1982, Bachchan was injured while filming on the set of Coolie. He recovered and resumed making films. Popular interest in his injury had been so high that when Coolie was released, it featured a freeze-frame and caption, isolating the exact instant during a fight scene when Amitabh was hurt.

Bachchan married actress Jaya Bhaduri in 1973. He has co-starred with Jaya in many films: Zanjeer, Abhimaan, Sholay, Silsila and, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. They have two children: Shweta Bachchan Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan. Abhishek Bachchan has followed in his father's footsteps, having starred in a number of movies.

In December of 2005, Bachchan was admitted to a hospital in critical condition. A surgical procedure saved his life.

Career

Bachchan's first film was Saat Hindustani (1969). He became well known as a movie star in 1973 following the success of Abhimaan and Zanjeer.

Amitabh's most loved films and characters date from this period. Fans remember him from box office hits like Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Trishul, Don and Deewar . Amitabh often played an angry young man fighting a corrupt establishment -- a theme that had immense appeal in India during that time. The screen-writing duo of Salim-Javed [1] have often been credited with creating this persona. In a sense, the relationship was symbiotic. Later movies have not had similar levels of success as the Salim-Javed and Amitabh collaborations.

In an era where producers looked to cast a handsome full-bodied man as the hero, Amitabh was written off, with his unconventional looks and tall, lanky frame. His baritone (since regarded as his biggest asset) once failed to get him a job as a news presenter at All India Radio. The success of Zanjeer and Sholay turned that around. Audiences adored his on-screen presence and a flair for comedy.

Many of his films in the 1970s followed a set formula: a poor childhood, parents murdered or separated after birth, survival through street-smart instincts, entry of a villain (usually a social oppressor or smuggler or his parents' killer or long lost father), some comedy scenes, a drunk scene, songs, dances, an action finale and a dying speech. It can be argued that the Salim-Javed stories written for Amitabh during the 1970s form an informal sequel, with the same character being played out in various settings. In retrospect, many of his films were run-of-the-mill masala movies with creaking plots and sub-par production values.

He had been making films all through the 1980s and 1990s, but few were successful. Critics credited the few films that he was successful in (Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan and Mohabbatein) to the performance of other actors (like Govinda and Shahrukh Khan). Industry gossip said that Amitabh was finished as an actor. However, Bachchan still had appeal. In 1999, in a BBC Online Poll, he was named the Superstar of the Millennium. In June 2000 he became the first living Asian to have a wax statue erected in his honor at Madame Tussaud's.

In 2000, he was chosen as the host for Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The show became an enormous hit. While the show was on, street traffic dropped dramatically; restaurants and movie theaters complained of diminishing clientèle. Critics admitted that Amitabh still had popularity. The show has recently started airing again, to similar levels of interest.

Since his game show success, he has appeared in several hit movies. He has also appeared in many ads for commercial products and for various non-profit organizations. He has supported campaigns for eye donations and against polio and AIDS.

Public life

In 1984, Bachchan briefly entered politics in support of long-time family friend Rajiv Gandhi. He contested Allahabad's parliament seat against H. N. Bahuguna, a well-known politician and won (winning 68.2% of the vote). [2] However, his political career was short-lived; he resigned after three years before finishing his term. At the time of his resignation, it was rumored that he might have been involved in the Bofors scandal. Bachchan was not implicated in the corruption and has since distanced himself from the Gandhi family. Bachchan denies that the these events were connected, commenting that he "should have never got into politics." [3]

In 1995, Amitabh went into business, founding Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd., an entertainment company that specialized in film production and event management. The company did not succeed. He did not file for bankruptcy, but has used his acting income to pay his business debts, which are rumored to have been completely cleared in 2005. Some observers speculate that he will try to revive his company.

Awards

Bachchan has received the Padma Shri (1983) and Padma Bhushan (2005), civilian honours from the indian government. In 1990, he won the National Award for his portrayal of a mafia don in Agneepath. In 1999, he was named BBC Superstar of the Millenium. He has also won 12 Filmfare Awards in various categories.

Filmography

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Current projects

References

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