Born Iquilaab Shrivastava, in Allahabad, Amitabh Bachchan came from humble beginnings, where his mother Teji Bachchan was a domestic home-maker and a social activist, while his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan was a Kavastha Hindu poet.
His birth name was Inquilaab, inspired by a word commonly used during independence. A poet friend suggested the name Amitabh, meaning ‘the light that never dies’. Teji Bachchan interested in theatre declined a play role for domestic duties. Amitabh’s mother likely influenced his career choice early on. He debuted as a voice-over artist in the 1969’s film Bhuvan Shome and then acted in 1971’s Saat Hindustani gaining little recognition. However, that same year, he starred as a supporting actor in the Rajesh Khanna starrer Anand, winning him a Filmfare for Best Supporting Actor.
Amitabh’s Wonderful Filmography
After Anand, Bombay To Goa, did moderately well. Amitabh’s acting identity faded after his next movies flopped terribly. People lost faith. However, screenwriters Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar (Salim-Javed), saw his true potential . They cast him in their 1973 action film Zanjeer . The film broke all records and was groundbreaking. Amitabh never looked back. Subsequent movies such as Deewar, Sholay, Trishul, Kaala Patthar and Shakti made him a star and earned him the tag of ‘Angry Young Man’. These films resonated with the youth and the masses, particularly those facing social ills like poverty and oppression.
The Crucial Year For Amitabh Bachchan
1973 was also the year Amitabh Bachchan tied the knot with his now actress wife Jaya Bhaduri. They did many films together like Abhimaan, Mili, Ek Nazar, Silsila and many more. Amitabh has won several awards in his five-decade acting career like Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and recently the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Films like Kabhi Kabhi, Kasme Vaade, Amar Akbar Anthony and Satte Pe Satta gave him superstardom as well as changed his onscreen character into a romantic hero. He also did playback singing in many movies, including Mere Paas Aao in Mr Natwarlal, Rang Barse and Nila Aasma in Silsila, Mere Angne Mein in Laawaris, Jahan Chaar Yaar in Sharaabi . In 1982, during the filming of Coolie, he had a near fatal accident. He suffered a splenic rupture from an abdomen blow during a fight scene. Fans gathered outside the hospital where the actor was for months. He completed the shooting, and the film released in 1983, was a huge hit.
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