Overview
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor, producer, television presenter, and former parliamentarian, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Indian cinema. Active in Hindi films since the late 1960s, he rose to stardom in the 1970s with a series of action-oriented roles that earned him the popular epithet of the "angry young man" of Bollywood. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has worked in over 200 films and has received four National Film Awards for Best Actor, along with numerous Filmfare Awards.
Key facts
| Full name | Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 October 1942, Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (now Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh) |
| Father | Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Hindi poet |
| Mother | Teji Bachchan |
| Spouse | Jaya Bhaduri (m. 1973) |
| Children | Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Abhishek Bachchan |
| Occupation | Actor, producer, television presenter |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Honours | Padma Shri (1984), Padma Bhushan (2001), Padma Vibhushan (2015), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2018) |
Background
Bachchan was born into a literary family in Allahabad. His father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, was a celebrated poet of the Hindi Chhayavaad tradition, best known for the long poem Madhushala. His mother, Teji Bachchan, was a Sikh from Karachi. He was educated at Sherwood College, Nainital, and later at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. Before entering films, he briefly worked in Kolkata in a shipping firm.
Career
Early career (1969–1972)
Bachchan made his film debut as one of the seven protagonists in Saat Hindustani (1969), directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, for which he won the National Film Award for Best Newcomer. His early films, including Anand (1971) opposite Rajesh Khanna, earned him a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. After several commercial failures, his career changed direction with Zanjeer (1973), directed by Prakash Mehra.
Rise to stardom (1973–1984)
Zanjeer established the "angry young man" archetype, often credited to screenwriting duo Salim–Javed. This was followed by a remarkable run of successes, including Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Don (1978), Trishul (1978), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Mr. Natwarlal (1979), Kaala Patthar (1979), Shaan (1980), Silsila (1981), Namak Halaal (1982) and Coolie (1983). During the filming of Coolie, on 26 July 1982, he was grievously injured during an action sequence at Bangalore, an incident that drew national attention.
Politics and hiatus (1984–1992)
In 1984, Bachchan contested the general election from the Allahabad constituency on a Indian National Congress ticket, defeating H. N. Bahuguna by a wide margin. He resigned from his Lok Sabha seat in 1987, citing his discomfort with politics, and the period coincided with the controversies surrounding the Bofors scandal, in which he and his brother were named in the European press; the allegations were later withdrawn following litigation.
Business venture and revival (1990s–2000s)
In 1996, he founded Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL), which produced films and organised the Miss World 1996 pageant in Bangalore. The venture suffered serious financial losses by the late 1990s. He returned to acting prominence with Mohabbatein (2000) and consolidated this revival through films such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), Baghban (2003), Khakee (2004), Black (2005), Sarkar (2005), Cheeni Kum (2007) and Paa (2009). He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Black, Paa, and later Piku (2015), in addition to his earlier win for Agneepath (1990).
Television and later work
In 2000, Bachchan began hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian adaptation of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, on Star Plus and later Sony Entertainment Television. The show is widely credited with reviving his public stature. He has continued to act in films such as Pink (2016), Badla (2019), Gulabo Sitabo (2020), Jhund (2022), Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022), and the bilingual epic Kalki 2898 AD (2024).
Honours and recognition
- Padma Shri, 1984
- Padma Bhushan, 2001
- Padma Vibhushan, 2015
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award, 2018 (presented in 2019)
- Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters, Government of France, 2007
- Four National Film Awards for Best Actor and one for Best Newcomer
- Multiple Filmfare Awards across acting categories and a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1991)
Significance
Bachchan's career reshaped the commercial Hindi cinema of the 1970s, displacing the romantic-hero template with a brooding, working-class protagonist suited to the social and political climate of the Emergency era. His baritone voice, used extensively in narration and advertising, has become one of the most recognisable in Indian media. Through Kaun Banega Crorepati, he played a defining role in the establishment of high-stakes television in India. Beyond cinema, he has been associated with several public health and social causes, including campaigns for polio eradication, hepatitis B awareness, and tuberculosis control in association with the Government of India and the World Health Organization.
Related topics
- Harivansh Rai Bachchan
- Jaya Bachchan
- Abhishek Bachchan
- Bollywood
- Sholay
- Kaun Banega Crorepati
- Salim–Javed
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- National Film Awards
- Cinema of India
References
- National Film Archive of India, filmography records.
- Directorate of Film Festivals, Government of India, National Film Awards citations.
- Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, Padma Awards announcements (1984, 2001, 2015).
- Wikidata entity
Q9570.