Interesting Facts and Figures: Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan: Twenty-five years after Indian Independence…Disillusionment had set in amongst the youth of the country. There was much corruption and unemployment and life was one big struggle. During this period in 1973, a film was released - Zanjeer. The film saw a new kind of hero, a hero who took the law in his own hands and fought the villain;a hero whom people saw as their savior. The actor playing the lead role, till then a struggler with a string of flops behind him, was Amitabh Bachchan.

Birthday: 11th October, 1942 in Allahabad. 

Spouse: Jaya Bhaduri (1973 – present).

Debut Film: Saat Hindustani (1969).

Major Impact: Zanjeer (1973).

Successful Films: Anand (1971), Parwaana (1971), Bombay to Goa (1972), Abhimaan (1973), Namak Haraam (1973), Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974), Chupke Chupke (1975), Deewar (1975), Sholay (1975), Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Kasme Vaade (1978), Don (1978), Trishul (1978), Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1978), Mr. Natwarlal (1979), Kaala Patthar (1979), Dostana (1980), Silsila (1981), Ram Balram (1980), Shaan (1980), Lawaaris (1981), Shakti (1982), Satte Pe Satta (1982), Coolie (1983), Shahenshah (1988), Agneepath (1990), Hum (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Sooryavansham (1999), Mohabbatein (2000), Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love (2001), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Baghban (2003), Aks (2001), Aankhen (2002), Khakee (2004), Dev (2004), Black (2005), Bunty Aur Babli (2005), Sarkar (2005), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), Cheeni Kum (2007), Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), Sarkar Raj (2008). 

Awards: Four times winner of the Filmfare Best Actor Award and two times winner of the National Film Award for Best Actor.

Upcoming Films: Teen Patti and Talismaan.

Facts we didn’t know:

Was one of the judges for the 1995 Miss World beauty pageant.

Was a former stage actor, radio announcer and freight company executive in Calcutta, India.

Went to Sherwood College, a boarding school in the hill-station town of Nainital, and from there to Delhi University where he earned a double MA degree.

When he was just trying to get a break in movies he was told to soften his ‘deep’ voice. However it was soon realized that his deep rich voice was excellent for narration. He has provided narrations for several films.

Suffered from a rare muscular disorder known as myasthenia gravis.

The first Asian actor having a wax model of his likeness displayed at Madame Tussaud’s in London, UK

Highest paid Bollywood actor in the film industry.

Was named Actor of the Millennium in a BBC News Poll ahead of such luminaries as Charlie Chaplin, Sir Lawrence Olivier, and Marlon Brando.

Works with the Indian government’s media campaign to publicize the National Immunization Days and encourage people to take their children to be vaccinated against polio and other deadly diseases.

Suffers from asthma.

His favourite screen name is Vijay, which he had as his character name in over 20 movies.

His father Harivansh Rai Bachchan was considering naming him ‘Inquilab’ (which means ‘revolution’) before settling down for Amitabh which means ‘brilliance unlimited’.

Actress Nirupa Roy is mostly cast as his mother and last time she featured was in Lal Baadshah (1999).

He hates the word Bollywood, the word that describes the Hindi film industry.

Is teetotal.

On 31 October 2006, he shocked the unit of a forthcoming movie Shootout at Lokhandwala by recording 23 scenes in 5 hours. Achieving this feat was unheard of. - SAMPURN