Amitabh Bachchan biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan, best known as Amitabh Bachchan, was born in Allahabad, India on October 11, 1942. India was still a British colony at the time, and would not achieve independence until five years later. Bachchan's father was renowned Hindi poet Dr. Harivansh Rai. His mother, Teji Bachchan, was a Sikh socialite. Amitabh Bachchan was his parents' firstborn. He has one younger brother, named Ajitabh.

Bachchan went to Sherwood College boarding school before enrolling in Delhi University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. Once he graduated, he became a freight broker in Calcutta. After a few years in Calcutta, Bachchan was ready for a change. He decided to move to Bombay and take a stab at Bollywood show business. By this time, India had been independent for nearly two decades, and Hindi cinema was thriving.

Early Film Career

In 1969, Bachchan made his film debut in Saat Hindustani. Although the movie tanked at the box office, Bachchan still managed to capture the attention of directors. Soon enough, the offers started rolling in.

By the early 1970s, Bachchan had garnered popularity with audiences as the "angry young man" in a series of successful Hindi feature films. His starring role in Zanjeer was particularly instrumental in launching him to stardom as an action-movie hero. Bachchan's performances in films like Laawaris, Coolie, Naseeb, Silsila, Shaarabi and Jaadugar continued to enamor fans of the tall and handsome action hero, and also landed him multiple Fanfare Awards. From the 1970s through the early '80s, the swashbuckling Bachchan appeared in more than 100 films. He seized opportunities to work with India's most acclaimed directors, such as Prakash Mehra, and dominated the silver screen with films like Trishul, Sholay and Chashme Buddoor. In addition to acting, Bachchan's roles often required him to sing.

Politics and Business

In 1982, Bachchan had a serious accident while filming. Fans prayed for his recovery. Bachchan survived the accident, but it prompted him to change career paths. In 1984, he traded his Bollywood stardom for a seat in the Indian Parliament. His political aspirations proved to be short-lived; in 1987, he left his seat due to unexpected controversy.

By the 1990s, the limelight surrounding Bachchan had begun to fade. But his decision to start his own entertainment production company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited, and make himself CEO, put him back in the headlines.

Back to Acting

Bachchan followed his true calling and returned to the silver screen in 1997 with the film Mrityudaata, produced by ABCL. In 2000, he also started hosting the Indian version of the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.