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Amitabh Bachchan

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Amitabh Bachchan
File:AmitabhBhachchan.jpg
BornOctober 11, 1942
Allahabad, India
OccupationActor

Amitabh Bachchan (born October 11, 1942, in Allahabad, India) also known as Big B, is an iconic Indian actor whose Bollywood career has spanned four decades. He was declared Superstar of the Millennium in 1999 in an international poll hosted by the BBC.

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 his acting career in 1969 with Saat Hindustani. He became well known as a movie star in 1973, with the films Abhimaan and Zanjeer.

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.

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.

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.

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, Deewar and more recently in Baghban. 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. Neither Salim-Javed nor Amitabh have since attained the level of success they achieved with their collaborations.

In an era where producers looked to cast a handsome full-bodied man as the hero, Amitabh was written off, due to 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.

Critics would regard most of these 1970s films as run-of-the-mill masala movies with creaking plots and sub-par production values. However, Amitabh's persona lifted them to incredible heights of popularity.

He continued making films all through the 1980s and 1990s, but his appeal seemed to have waned. Though a few of his movies were successful (Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan and Mohabbatein), critics said that they succeeded due to Amitabh's co-stars, Govinda and Shahrukh Khan. Industry gossip said that Amitabh was finished as an actor.

Then Amitabh proved the critics wrong. First came the fan accolades. 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 were forced to admit that Amitabh could still pull big crowds. (The show has recently started airing again, to similar levels of interest.)

The reason for the popularity of Amitabh has probably been the uncanny portrayal of the Indian consciousness in his roles. We can see the development of 70's India to the corporate setup of the present era. In this transformation the identity of "Indian-ness" is not lost.

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 and Bachchan was pushed into huge debt when a big-budget production bombed at the Bollywood box office. He did not, however, file for bankruptcy. Apart from what is a commonly held belief that influential public figures such as Sahara Group chairman Subroto Roy and politician Amar Singh helped bail Bachchan financially out of his debts, the actor also took on visibly more acting and endorsing contracts to pay off his creditors. According to most accounts, with his return the small screen for a second season of Kaun Banega Crorepati, his debts may have been completely cleared in 2005. Some observers speculate that he will try to revive his company.

The "Big B" as he is popularly known was admited to hospital in November 2005 for Ulcerative Colitis. For weeks this formed the basis of the main news stories in the Indian media. Such is the popularity of Amitabh that prayers were held all over India and special ‘pujas' conducted, in scenes reminiscient of the Coolie film accident.

In 2006, Indian National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (Note) accused Bachchan of breaking national law by appearing smoking a cigar on advertising posters for the film Family. India's government banned tobacco adverts in 2003, and Note threatened the film star with legal action.

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 Millennium. He has also won 12 Filmfare Awards in various categories.

Filmography

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Current projects

References

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