Amitabh Bachchan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amitabh Bachchan
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Bachchan in 2018
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| Born |
Amitabh Srivastava
11 October 1942 |
| Other names |
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| Alma mater | Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | |
| Parents |
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| Family | See Bachchan family |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honours |
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| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 31 December 1984 – July 1987 |
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| Prime Minister | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Preceded by | Janeshwar Mishra |
| Succeeded by | V. P. Singh |
| Constituency | Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Indian National Congress (1984–1987) |
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Amitabh Bachchan (born Amitabh Srivastava on October 11, 1942) is a famous Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema. Many people consider him one of the greatest and most successful actors in the history of Indian movies. He has acted in over 200 films in a career that has lasted more than fifty years.
Bachchan is often called the Shahenshah of Bollywood, which means "King of Kings." He is also known as the "Star of the Millennium" or simply "Big B." In the 1970s and 1980s, he was so popular that French director François Truffaut called the Indian film industry a "one-man industry." He has won many awards, including six National Film Awards and sixteen Filmfare Awards.
Bachchan was born in Allahabad (now Prayagraj). His film career began in 1969 as a voice narrator in the movie Bhuvan Shome. He became very popular in the early 1970s with films like Anand and Zanjeer. He became a huge star and was called India's "Angry Young Man" because of the intense roles he played.
He has also worked as a playback singer, film producer, and television host. He is famous for hosting the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, which is India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. He was also involved in politics for a short time in the 1980s.
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Early Life and Family
Amitabh Bachchan was born on October 11, 1942, in Allahabad. His father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, was a well-known Hindi poet. His mother, Teji Bachchan, was a social activist. He has a younger brother named Ajitabh.
His parents originally wanted to name him Inquilaab, which means "Revolution." However, a poet friend suggested the name Amitabh. His father wrote under the pen name Bachchan, and the family decided to adopt it as their last name.
Bachchan went to Sherwood College in Nainital and later graduated from Kirori Mal College at the University of Delhi. After finishing his studies, he worked for a shipping company in Kolkata and was also involved in theatre before he started his film career.
Acting Career
Early Career (1969–1972)
Bachchan's first film role was in 1969 in Saat Hindustani. He then appeared in the 1971 film Anand with superstar Rajesh Khanna. His role as a doctor earned him his first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. Many of his early films were not successful at the box office.
Rise to Stardom (1973–1974)
By the age of 30, Bachchan was still struggling in his career. Everything changed with the 1973 film Zanjeer. The writers, Salim-Javed, created a new type of hero: the "angry young man." Bachchan was perfect for the role of a police officer fighting against a corrupt system.
Zanjeer was a huge hit and made Bachchan a star. This role was very different from the romantic heroes that were popular at the time. It started a new trend in Bollywood and made him one of the industry's most successful actors.
In 1973, he married actress Jaya Bhaduri. They starred together in several successful films, including Zanjeer and Abhimaan. He also won his second Filmfare Award for the film Namak Haraam. In 1974, he starred in the blockbuster Roti Kapada Aur Makaan.
Superstardom (1975–1988)
In 1975, Bachchan starred in two of the most important films in Hindi cinema history: Deewaar and Sholay. Deewaar was a crime drama where he played a man on the wrong side of the law. Sholay became the highest-grossing Indian film of its time and is considered a classic. These two films made him a superstar.
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, he starred in one hit film after another. Some of his biggest hits from this time include:
- Kabhi Kabhie (1976)
- Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), for which he won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor
- Don (1978), where he played a double role
- Trishul (1978)
- Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978)
- Laawaris (1981)
- Silsila (1981)
- Shakti (1982)
- Coolie (1983)
- Sharaabi (1984)
- Mard (1985)
- Shahenshah (1988)
On-set Injury
On July 26, 1982, while filming Coolie, Bachchan had a serious accident during a fight scene. He was badly injured and was in the hospital for many months. Fans across the country prayed for his recovery. He eventually recovered and finished the film. Coolie was released in 1983 and became a huge blockbuster, partly because of the publicity from his accident.
Career Challenges and Comeback (1989–1999)
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, some of Bachchan's films were not successful. However, he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor for the 1990 film Agneepath. After the film Khuda Gawah in 1992, he took a five-year break from acting.
During his break, he started a production company called Amitabh Bachchan Corporation, Ltd. (ABCL). The company faced major financial problems and was not successful. Bachchan faced a difficult time but worked hard to overcome it. He returned to acting and had success with films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998).
Return to Success (2000–present)
In 2000, Bachchan's career was reborn with the blockbuster film Mohabbatein. He played a strict headmaster and won a Filmfare Award for his role. He then starred in many successful films, often playing the role of a family patriarch. These included Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) and Baghban (2003).
In 2005, he starred in the film Black, playing a teacher to a deaf-blind girl. His performance was highly praised, and he won his second National Film Award for Best Actor. He continued to star in successful films like Bunty Aur Babli (2005) and Sarkar (2005).
Some of his other important films from this period include:
- Paa (2009), where he played a 13-year-old boy with a rare genetic disorder. He won his third National Film Award for this role.
- Piku (2015), for which he won his fourth National Film Award for Best Actor.
- Pink (2016), a courtroom drama that received great reviews.
- Badla (2019), a successful mystery thriller.
- Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022), a fantasy action film.
- Kalki 2898 AD (2024), a science fiction film that became a huge box office hit.
In 2013, he also appeared in his first Hollywood film, The Great Gatsby, in a special role.
Other Work
Television Host
In 2000, Bachchan began hosting the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). The show became incredibly popular and made him a household name for a new generation of viewers. He has hosted most of the seasons of the show. He also hosted the third season of the reality show Bigg Boss in 2009.
Voice Acting
Bachchan is known for his deep, powerful voice. He has worked as a narrator for many films, including Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977) and the Oscar-nominated film Lagaan (2001).
Political Career
In 1984, Bachchan took a short break from acting to enter politics. He was a friend of India's Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from his hometown of Allahabad. He won the election by a very large margin. However, he resigned from his position in 1987 and returned to his acting career.
Personal Life
Bachchan married actress and politician Jaya Bhaduri on June 3, 1973. They have two children: a daughter, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, and a son, Abhishek Bachchan, who is also an actor.
Abhishek is married to actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and they have a daughter named Aaradhya. Shweta is married to businessman Nikhil Nanda, and they have two children, Navya Naveli and Agastya. The Bachchan family lives in Mumbai.
Legacy and Influence
Amitabh Bachchan is considered one of the most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema. He is respected for his powerful performances and has inspired many other actors.
In 1999, a BBC online poll voted him the "greatest star of stage or screen" of the millennium. In 2000, he became the first living Asian person to have a wax statue at Madame Tussauds museum in London.
The Government of India has honored him with several awards:
- Padma Shri in 1984
- Padma Bhushan in 2001
- Padma Vibhushan in 2015
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2018, India's highest honor in cinema.
In 2007, the Government of France gave him its highest civilian honor, the Legion of Honour, for his amazing career in cinema.
Images for kids
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Bachchan with Mohanlal
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Bachchan with Vijay
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TeachAids character of Bachchan (left); Bachchan in a 2013 TeachAids recording session (right)
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Bachchan in 2011
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The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Best Film Actor Award for the year 2005 to Shri Amitabh Bachchan
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Bachchan with the Olympic flame in London on 27 July 2012
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See also
In Spanish: Amitabh Bachchan para niños
- List of Bollywood actors
- Lists of Indian actors
