Happy Birthday Amitabh Bachchan!

Amitabh Bachchan turns 65. Bepenfriends with the help of MSN India traces the life of India's greatest ever superstar!

Born in Allahabad, Amitabh Bachchan moved to Mumbai after he gained a degree in art to pursue a career in acting. He got his break in Bollywood after a letter of introduction from the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, as he was a friend of her son Rajiv Gandhi.

Bachchan's first film, 'Saat Hindustani,' his only black-and-white film - was released in 1969. In the film he played a Muslim poet, who volunteered for a mission to help free Goa from Portugese rule.

In 1970, Bachchan won a FilmFare Award for the 'Best Supporting Actor' for his role in 'Anand.' But, this did not translate into the kind of fame that would bring large audiences to see his films. Three years later Bachchan first tasted success in 'Abhimaan,' in which he played a singer who succumbs to envy

In the same year director Prakash Mehra cast Bachchan as Inspector Vijay Khanna in the film 'Zanjeer.' The film was a gritty cops-and-robbers melodrama which contributed in establishing Amitabh's personna as an "angry young man." 'Zanjeer' was the first major hit of Bachchan and after that, Bachchan's name on the marquee could be counted on to pull crowds into the theaters. He had at least one major hit every year during the next decade.

Cashing in on his "angry young man" onscreen personality Yash Chopra cast him in a negative role in 'Deewar.' His "angry young man" image was further cemented by movies like 'Trishul' (1978), 'Kaala Patthar' (1979) and 'Shakti' (1982).

In 1975, 'Sholay' shot him into Mega Star status and it became one of the highest grossing films in Indian Cinema history, and the biggest hit of his career.

Moving away from the "angry young man" image, Bachchan acted in comedy and romantic films like 'Chupke Chupke' (1975), 'Amar Akbar Anthony' (1977), 'Kabhie Kabhie' (1976) and 'Silsila' (1981).

While filming 'Coolie' in 1982, Bachchan was seriously injured during a fight scene with Puneet Issar. He was hospitalised for months with a ruptured intestine and had to battle for his life. A remarkable outpouring of support and concern by his fans and the nation followed. His condition was closely watched by the media. After recovery Bachchan resumed shooting for 'Coolie,' and it was a huge success. In the late 1980s, Amitabh Bachchan entered politics. As a friend of Rajiv Gandhi, he got a Congress ticket to contest from his hometown, but had to leave midterm because of controversies, particularly after Rajiv and he were implicated in the Bofors case. However, Bachchan's comeback to the silver screen was much less successful than his exit!

Many films like 'Jaadugar' and 'Toofan,' both shot in 1989, did poorly In the early 1990s he regained some success in 'Hum' (1991), which became a huge hit due to a popular song "Jumma Chumma." However, after more flops at the box office, he took a break from the film industry in 1992.

After a four year break, he was back with the unsuccessful 'Mrityudaata,' which was a big box office disaster. Subsequent films, like 'Major Saab' (1997), 'Sooryavansham' (1999), and 'Lal Baadshah' (1999) also failed. Critics complained that Bachchan was still playing "angry young man," even though he was in his mid-fifties.

The first two of his comeback films to succeed were the 1998 comedy 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' in which he starred with Govinda, and 2000's 'Mohabbatein,' which co-starred Shah Rukh Khan.

But four flops in 1999 and a debt of over Rs 90 crore from his sinking company ABCL saw him at an all-time low. But, Bachchan eventually bounced back as the anchor of the hit television show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati.'

After a series of hits with 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' (2001), 'Aankhen' (2003), 'Baghban' (2003) and 'Khakee' (2004), a 60 plus Bachchan is showing no signs of slowing down and proving critics wrong once again.

2005, was perhaps Bachchan's best year in terms of box office hits, critical acclaim and awards. He played as an eccentric alcoholic teacher of a deaf and blind student, played by Rani Mukerji in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Black.'

In the same year he co-starred for the first time with his son Abhishek in the comedy 'Bunty Aur Babli' and the Godfatheresque crime drama 'Sarkar.'

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) Samarjit Singh Talwar (aka. Sexy Sam)
Sarkar (2005) Subhash Nagre
Bunty Aur Babli (2005) D.C.P. Dashrath Singh

Black (2005) Debraj Sahai
Baghban (2003) Raj Malhotra
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) Yashvordhan "Yash" Raichand
Hum (1991) Tiger/Shekhar
Sharaabi (1984) Vicky Kapoor
Coolie (1983) Iqbal
Shakti (1982) Vijay Kumar
Satte Pe Satta (1982) Dual role (Ravi Anand/Babu)
Namak Halaal (1982) Arjun Singh
Silsila (1981) Amit Malhotra
Shaan (1980) Vijay Kumar
Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) Sikandar
Don (1978) Dual role (Don/Vijay)
Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977) Narrator
Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) Anthony Gonzalves
Kabhie Kabhie (1976) Amit Malhotra
Sholay (1975) Jai (Jaidev)
Deewar (1975) Vijay Verma
Chupke Chupke (1975) Professor Sukumar Sinha/Parimal Tripathi
Zanjeer (1973) Inspector Vijay Khanna
Abhimaan (1973) Subir Kumar (Beeru)
Anand (1970) Dr Bhaskar K. Bannerjee/Babu Moshai
Saat Hindustani (1969) Anwar Ali Anwar

I. Amitabh Bachchan was voted the hottest male vegetarian by Peta for two years running.
II. Amitabh was chosen Superstar of the Millennium, easing out giants like Sir Lawrence Olivier and Charlie Chaplin on a BBC online poll.
III. Bachchan has received the Padma Shri (1983) and Padma Bhushan (2005) civilian honours from the Indian government.
IV. Bachchan has won the National Award thrice. For 'Saat Hindustani' (Best Newcomer) in 1970, for 'Agneepath' (Best Actor) in 1991, and finally for 'Black' (Best Actor) in 2006.
V. He has won 14 Filmfare Awards in various categories. The most recent one was the 2006 Filmfare Best Actor Award for his role in the film 'Black' and his most recognisable Filmfare Award is, when he won the Star of the 20th Century Award

He and Dilip Kumar are the only stars to win Best Actor awards in three separate decades.
VI. In a poll conducted by Channel 4 Film he was voted the "92nd Greatest Movie Star of All Time." Bachchan is the only Indian actor on the list, which is dominated by American actors.
VII. He is the first Indian actor to have been immortalised in wax at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London.
VIII. Bachchan has been conferred with an honorary degree of Doctorate of Arts by De Montfort University in Leicester, UK on July 19, 2006 in recognition of his distinguished career in films. Former South African President Nelson Mandela was the last person to get such a recognition from the university for his charitable work.

Happy Birthday Amitabh Bachchan!

Amitabh Bachchan will not celebrate his birthday this year, as his mother has been hospitalised. We at bepenfriends wish Amitabh the very best, and hope he continues his great run at the box office.

source from msn.co.in