Amitabh Bachchan, the legendary hero of the century, has turned 81 today. Even at this stage of age, Amitabh has 5 big films, through which around 1750 crore rupees are staked on him. So far, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Rajinikanth have not been invested so much.
81-year-old Big B is alive with only 25% liver left, 75% liver damage. Doctors declared him clinically dead after an accident on the sets of ‘Coolie’. In the last 50 years, Amitabh has such a strong fan following in India that as soon as he reaches the hospital, temples are crowded and havans are held across the country. 1750 crores on 81year old Amitabh Bachchan
However, achieving this position was not easy for him. When Amitabh Bachchan wanted to enter films after losing his first unrequited love, people made fun of him for his dark complexion, heavy voice and tall height. It is also true that these three qualities made him a megastar.
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Reached Mumbai to find a job with a broken heart, people used to say ‘people will be scared of your voice’
On the occasion of his 81st birthday today, read the story of Shehenshah’s entry into films, filled with every interest
Even at this age, Amitabh gives the most films
Most of the 80s stars like Dharmendra, Jeetendra have lost their shine, but Amitabh’s shine is still intact.
Amitabh Bachchan was seen in 5 films in 2022, ‘Jund’, ‘Runway 24’, ‘Brahmastra’, ‘Uttha’, ‘Good Bye’. Along with this he acted in Gujarati film ‘Phakt Mahila Mate’, R. He did a cameo in Balki’s film ‘Chup’ and became the narrator of Prabhas’ film ‘Radhe-Shyam’. In just 13 years since 2010, Amitabh Bachchan has acted in 52 films including character roles, lead roles and cameos. These include films like ‘Buddha Hoga Tera Baap’, ‘Gulabo-Sitabo’ and ‘Jund’, which were directed by Amitabh alone.
Now know the conflict-filled story of Amitabh’s film journey-
Spent childhood playing with Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi
Amitabh Bachchan was born on 11 October 1942 to Harivanshrai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan, a famous writer of the time, during World War II and the struggle for independence. His father named him Inkilab, which means revolution, change. Writers used to go to Harivanshrai Bachchan’s house. 1750 crores on 81year old Amitabh Bachchan
One day the famous writer Sumitranandan Pant came to her house to see the newborn baby. When he found out that Harivanshrai Bachchan had named his son Inkilab, he changed the name to Amitabh. Amitabh means extremely bright or virtuous. Amitabh’s real surname is Srivastava.
His father Harivanshrai Bachchan, a writer, gave him the pen name Bachchan, which later became his surname. His children also followed suit.
As a child, Amitabh used to play with Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi. After studying at Boys’ High School, Allahabad and Sherwood College, Nainital, he pursued a Master of Arts degree from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University.
Moved to Kolkata to work at 21, fell in love
In 1963, at the age of 21, Amitabh Bachchan came to Kolkata from Allahabad in search of a job. He also got a job as a clerk in a big liquor company called Shaw Wallace in Kolkata. After leaving here, he got a job in the shipping firm Bird & Company. He also worked at ICI Company for a while, where he met a Maharashtrian girl named Chandra. Amitabh was the girl’s senior. His salary was Rs 1500 and Chandra’s was only Rs 400.
The two fell in love while working together. This was his first love. When Amitabh proposed marriage to her, the girl flatly refused. By which they were broken. Heartbroken, he left the job immediately, due to which he did not even get 26 days of salary. After the job he had to leave the city, he went directly to Bombay (now Mumbai) from Kolkata. 1750 crores on 81year old Amitabh Bachchan
When he asked for a job at a radio station, he was told – people will run away hearing your voice.
After reaching Mumbai, Amitabh Bachchan kept moving from one office to another for a job. There was only rejection from everywhere. Once he went for a job at a radio station. Radio had only voice work, so Amin Saini, who was considered a famous voice at that time, auditioned him. On hearing the voice, Amin said – your voice is very heavy, people will run away after hearing it.
Amitabh became a hero because of the picture shared in the train
Harivanshrai Bachchan wanted Amitabh to do some kind of work, but he was interested in acting. However, his elder brother Ajitabh was well aware of the dream of becoming a hero that was growing in his mind. One day when Ajitabh was coming from Mumbai to Delhi, he learned from a boy sitting nearby that Khawaja Abbas was looking for a new face for his film.
Ajitabh immediately took out his brother’s photo from his bag and gave it to the boy and asked him to send this photo to him and also wrote his number to contact him. The next day the picture reached Khwaja Ahmed Abbas and he immediately called to see him. Amitabh was in Delhi at that time, he reached Mumbai as soon as he got the call.
Amitabh arrived at Khwaja Ahmed Abbas’s office wearing a white tight churidar, a white kurta with a Nehru jacket and a bag. As soon as Amitabh announced his name, the question-answer session started.
Khawaja- Have you ever worked in films before?
Amitabh- No, people have never taken me in films.
Amitabh took names of many big personalities who rejected him.
Khwaja- What problem did they see in you?
Amitabh- They thought I was too tall for a hero.
Khawaja- There is no such problem with us, as there is no heroine in our film. Even if we had, we would have taken you.
Amitabh- Are you taking me to a movie? Are you really taking me to the movies? Without a test?
Khawaja- First you listen to the story and then know the role and fee. If you are ready we will sign the contract.
During the conversation, when Khwaja Abbas came to know that Amitabh Harivansh is Rai Bachchan’s son, he asked – Have you run away from home?
Amitabh said no in reply. However, Khawaja Abbas wrote to Harivansh Rai Bachchan asking if he had any objection to his son appearing in films. When the letter was accepted in response, a few days later Khawaja signed Amitabh for Rs 5,000. On 15 February 1969, Amitabh signed the film ‘Sat Hindustani’ which was released on 7 November 1969.
After many flops, after being ‘chained’, he becomes an angry young man
Amitabh Bachchan’s acting journey that started in 1969 was not easy either. His films continued to flop, with some making him a side hero, but the 1973 film ‘Zanjeer’ changed his fortunes forever. However, this film came to him by chance. 1750 crores on 81year old Amitabh Bachchan
The story of the film was written by the writer duo of Salim-Javed. At that time Dharmendra liked the script and bought it. At the same time director Prakash Mehra read the script of the film ‘Samadhi’ to Dharmendra. He liked the story so much that he gave the script of ‘Zanjeer’ to Prakash Mehra and took the script of ‘Samadhi’ from him.
Prakash Mehra took up that script, but his hero Dharmendra was already busy with Samadhi. Now he started searching for a new hero. Dev Anand said that the songs in the film were few and Rajkumar refused to do the film citing that he was busy. The search was still going on when one day Pran Nath called Prakash Mehra and asked him to sign Amitabh, seeing him he felt that he would become a star one day.
Prakash was not satisfied with his talk as Amitabh’s last 12 films were flops. However, on Pran’s insistence, he started watching his film ‘Bombay to Goa’. As soon as he saw the film, Prakash Mehra shouted, I have found a hero. 1750 crores on 81year old Amitabh Bachchan
People mocked the chain and said- Who is this tall stupid boy?
As soon as the news of Prakash Mehra casting Amitabh in ‘Zanjeer’ spread in film circles, he was heavily criticized. People said that this film will definitely flop. In response, Amitabh also said that if this film does not work, I will leave Mumbai and go to my home in Allahabad.
As no heroine agreed to work with Amitabh, Mumtaz barely signed the film, but at the same time got married and left the film. Finally Jaya, who was Amitabh’s friend at the time, agreed to do the film. Somehow the film was made, but now it had to find distributors. A distributor immediately asked Prakash Mehra after watching the film, who is this tall idiot hero?
People bought tickets worth Rs 5 for Rs 100
After many attempts, the film was finally released on 11 May 1973. This film could not do anything special in Mumbai. After knowing this, Amitabh became so angry that he developed a high fever. Almost 4 days had passed since the release of the film. One day while passing by the Gaiety Galaxy Theatre, Prakash Mehra noticed that the ticket window was crowded and there was a stampede. When I got closer, I saw that people were in a hurry to buy 5 rupees tickets for 100 rupees to watch the movie. Prakash had never seen such a crowd in that theater before.
Within a week the tall goofy boy turned from an ordinary hero to a star. His dialogues spoken in the film and his songs – ‘Deewane Hain, Deewane Ko Na Ghar Chahiye and Yaari Hai Iman Mera Yaar Meri Zindagi’ were on everyone’s lips. Amitabh’s fans increased so much after this film that his fan following continues even today. The film won many awards and after this Amitabh got a new name…angry young man.