Film still of Amitabh Bachchan from Amar Akbar Anthony
Amitabh Bachchan, actor extraordinaire and India's uber-celebrity, celebrates his 80th birthday today. Star of films like Deewar, Sholay and Amar Akbar Anthony, Big B, as he is fondly known, lives in the hearts and minds of generations of Indians. Now an octogenarian, Amitabh Bachchan is still among Bollywood's busiest stars. He was last seen in Goodbye, Jhund and Runway 34 and has a release coming up in Unchai. Here's a roundup of over 50 years of film magic and history as well as the wishes that have poured in for Big B from celebrities.
Here are the Live Updates from Amitabh Bachchan's big birthday:
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Amitabh Bachchan, national treasure. Birthday wishes from Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt and other stars - read
here
Of the many things to learn from Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan reveals one
What Rajinikanth wrote for
Hum co-star Amitabh Bachchan - read
here
The Bachchan family album - in throwbacks
Amitabh Bachchan needs no introduction, says Ajay Devgn. Big B begs to differ, however
The
Sara Zamana jacket and other iconic Amitabh Bachchan looks - read
here
Abhishek Bachchan organised a birthday surprise for his dad on an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati
Here's how it went down:
Rishte mein toh hum tumhare baap lagte hain, naam hai Amitabh Bachchan.
10 of Big B's most killer dialogues - read
hereFrom Big B's granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda, a set of throwbacks:
Amitabh Bachchan forever seared into public consciousness as the Angry Young Man that made him a star half a century ago. Through the Seventies and Eighties, Big B made his name playing characters who were fast and furious; revenge was a recurring theme and there was sometimes a righteous kill. There was always an origin story for the fury and in most instances, justice of some sort was dealt out - sometimes by Big B, sometimes to him. On his birthday, five films in which he was angry, angrier, angriest.
Shweta Bachchan wished her father like this:
Actor, singer, game-show host and one-time politician Amitabh Bachchan remains, at 80, India's uber-celeb. He still commands star billing and has audiences and directors vying for him. On social, he is one of India's most followed film stars. And yet, when he quit his job with shipping firm Bird & Co. in Kolkata and moved to Mumbai with stars in his eyes, prospects seemed bleak for the tall, dark but not traditionally handsome young man. Armed with a letter of introduction from no less a person than Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who was close friends with his mother Teji, Amitabh Bachchan was cast as a Muslim poet and prisoner of war in the nationalistic Saat Hindustani (1969). The lanky young would-be actor was turned down repeatedly in favour of heroes like Rajesh Khanna. His most singular asset, a deep booming baritone voice, was put to good use by directors and producers in films like Bhuvan Shome and Bawarchi but leading roles were rare.