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Amitabh Bachchan: The Making of an OmnistarAll you wanted to know about Amitabh Bachchan - the man, the movies, the magic.
EARLY DAYS
What followed was the stupendous success of Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975) , Trishul (1978), Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1978), Don (1978), Kasme Vaade (1978), Kaala Patthar (1979), Mr. Natwarlal (1979), Ram Balram (1980), Shaan (1980), Lawaaris (1981), and Shakti. All of these movies pitched him as the complete entertainer--comedian, dancer, fighter, gallant--a mini-industry in himself.
There was of course the odd Chupke Chupke (1975) where Bachchan deviated from his known persona playing a bumbling professor, but it was hardly a ripple in the building tsunami that was Amitabh Bachchan.
CRITICAL ILLNESS: ON THE SETS OF COOLIE
POLITICS AND BOFORS BROUHAHA In 1984, Rajiv Gandhi was trying to establish his leadership in the Congress party after the assassination of his mother Indira Gandhi. Gandhi enlisted the help of his close friend Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan became an MP from the Allahabad constituency when he beat H. N. Bahuguna by the highest margin ever for a parliament candidate in Indian history. His political stint though was dogged by the Bofors scandal and finally Bachchan resigned as MP in 1987. ABCL FIASCO After his exit from politics, Amitabh Bachchan was to enter the worst phase of his entire career. Film after film bombed at the marquee with the exception of Agneepath (1991) that won him his one and only National Award. Movies like Hum (1991) were ho hum at the box office and the rest of 1991 was peppered with duds like Akayla, Jadoogar, Ajooba, Krodh, and Indrajeet. Many thought that the legend would now bow out with dignity, as legends are wont to do. And for a while it looked like that too. Amitabh took a hiatus from the movies for a bit, only to be back with a new venture. In 1996, Amitabh Bachchan seduced by visions of being a movie magnate set up his entertainment company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd. Marketing advisors thrilled with the idea of milking the Bachchan brand--nay selling the Bachchan brand to the Bachchan himself--pitched the company as one that would corporatise the way movies are made in India and integrate all movie-making related products and services under one umbrella. However, ABCL failed to deliver as every movie and event it touched bombed. The worst humiliation Bachchan had to face was the 1996 Miss World paegant that was opposed by social activists and left ABCL mired in controversy and legal battles.
Suddenly, Bachchan was no longer an unreachable star. He was no more the larger-than-life superhero who could do no wrong. Bachchan's superhero image was replaced by his reality of a flesh-and-blood man fighting for survival. Soon,there were rumblings in the media and his audiences about why the legend was not bowing out gracefully, how he was letting his fans down, why was he acting in third-rate movies? Tarun Tejpal's piece on Bachchan The Mirror has Two Faces (http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=19980720&fname=cover%5Fstory&sid=1&pn=1) pretty much put in words what the common man and the intelligentsia were feeling then about Bachchan. It was at this point that Amar Singh and Sahara boss Subroto Roy lent a hand to Bachchan forming the beginning of what was to be a life-long alliance. After Rajiv Gandhi's death, the Bachchan family drifted away from the Gandhi family. The Bachchans were definitely harboring the resentment that the Gandhis did not help them in their acute financial crisis.
Bachchan ceased to be a Congress loyalist. What followed was a huge rift with Sonia Gandhi and Bachchan started to support Amar Singh's political party, the Samajwadi party. Recently, Jaya Bachchan joined the Samajwadi Party and became a Rajya Sabha Member. TURNING POINT: KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI
From 2000 -2005, Bachchan rode the KBC wave. During the same period, Bachchan's film career was also resurrected. He appeared in patriach roles (thus putting to rest doubts about his graceful retirement or graceful comeback in this case) starting with Mohabbatein (2005). Every movie that followed-- Ek Rishtaa: A Bond of Love (2001), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Aks (2001), Aankhen (2002), Baghban (2003), Khakee (2004), Dev (2004) and Black (2005) strengthened his standing at the box office, winning Bachchan critical acclaim as well as box office success. ANOTHER HOSPITALISATION In 2005, Amitabh Bachchan underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital for diverticulitis of the small intestine. Once again, the nation rallied around Bachchan praying for his health. RISKY CHOICES The one-man film industry was once again doing what he was always good at. Carrying a film on his shoulders. But this time he went a bit further. Emboldened by audience acceptance--or perhaps having already witnessed total audience rejection and surviving it--Bachchan was now taking risks in terms of movie choices. Now that he was well shot of his angry-young-man-taking-on-the-system image, Bachchan made bold choices with Boom (2003) and more recently Nishabd (2007). He received a major audience backlash for Boom but for once Bachchan stood by his movie and refused to be fazed by the criticism.
By the time Nishabd was released, Indian audiences seemed to have grudgingly accepted Bachchan's unconventional choices. His most recent releases Cheeni Kum and Shootout at Lokhandwala have done exceedingly well. NEW CONTROVERSIES 1) Cold war with Shahrukh Khan
Of course, the found-again success has come with its share of controversies. The main one being the cold war with reigning superstar Shahrukh Khan. Speculations about the rivalry intensified with Shahrukh Khan stepping into Amitabh's shoes in the new KBC series. It was further fueled by Shahrukh Khan starring in the remake of Bachchan's cult classic, Don. Here is an interesting viewpoint on the whole tamasha. 2) Barabanki Land Fraud Case In June 2007, a court in Faizabad ruled that the Amitabh Bachchan's farmland in Barabanki was illegally acquired. Bachchan claimed that the land was being used for agriculture and hence he should be treated as a farmer. But the court declared that Amitabh Bachchan is not a farmer and that registering the land in his name amounted to fraud. Following the order by the Faizabad court cancelling allotment of the farmland to Amitabh Bachchan, the land in question was quickly restored to the village council. And, officials say that Amitabh Bachchan could now be prosecuted for fraud. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is keen on taking legal action against Amitabh Bachchan and officials who forged the records for Amitabh Bachchan.
For more details on the controversy,
read: 3) Abhishek Bachchan - Aishwarya Rai wedding fracas
Then there was the fracas on the wedding day, when a few photographers were manhandled when trying to procure a few pictures of the newly married couple. Here is Shobha De's opinion on the drama Find more dope on the wedding here.
4) Controversy over National Award for Black
In August 2006, Amitabh was said to have won the national award for Black. The awards, which were to be announced on August 14, 2006 have yet to see the light of the day, till date. Reports say that there are differences among the jury members over Amitabh Bachchan as the choice for Best Actor. A jury member is reported to have objected on the grounds that Black is not an original movie (Black is a remake of The Miracle Worker) and therefore should not be considered. To know more about this, see http://www.dancewithshadows.com/pub/national-awards-2005-black.asp 5) Tax evasion PIL In June 2007, a PIL was filed against Bachchan on charges of tax evasion. The Bombay High Court issued notices to Amitabh Bachchan, the Union Government, Revenue Intelligence Department and the Enforcement Directorate for alleged tax evasion and cover-up deals. FORTHCOMING RELEASES: MORE UNCONVENTIONAL ROLES
Fans of Amitabh Bachchan can look forward to his forthcoming releases including a supporting role in his first international English language film, Shantaram, based on the bestseller of the same name. Bachchan will play the Afghan mafia don Kaderbhai. Mira Nair will direct Shantaram and Johnny Depp will play the lead. Amitabh will also appear in the Deepa Mehta-directed Exclusion, starring British actor Terence Stamp, Manisha Koirala, Seema Biswas, John Abraham, and Mahima Chaudhary.
Another much-anticipated movie is Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar 2 where Amitabh will share screen space once again with son Abhishek Bachchan and will be joined by daughter-in-law Aishwarya Bachchan as well. There is also Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, a remake of Amitabh's superhit film, Sholay. This time around Bachchan will play the role of Gabbar Singh. Bachchan will also star in director Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear, where Amitabh plays a Shakespearan actor. For speculations about other future releases, see http://www.dancewithshadows.com/celebrity/amitabh-bachchan-hollywood.asp BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Sarkar Raj (2007) (in production)
.... Subhash Nagare PLAYBACK SINGER
* Cheeni Kum (2007) ABCL PRODUCTIONS
1. Family: Ties of Blood (2006) (Source: imdb.com) AWARDS
Here is a collection of the most popular news stories from dancewithshadows.com on Mr Amitabh Bachchan. Note they they don't cover every bit of news about Mr Bachchan - they are just what were popular on this site. Amitabh Bachchan may star with Crowe, DiCaprio in Body of Lies by Ridley Scott Ridley Scott’s ambitious project, Body of Lies, which is a thriller with an Al-Qaeda plot, might have Amitabh Bachchan playing the role of a Jordanian in the film. Bachchan has asked for the script before deciding on the role. Tough times ahead for Bachchan Though the Allahabad High Court has admitted Amitabh Bachchan’s petition to quash the Faizabad court’s order canceling his ownership of a farmland in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, the actor has little reason to feel relieved. Shah Rukh Khan vs Amitabh Bachchan in KBC There was KBC and KBC 2 with the so-called Big B, and now we have KBC 3 with the so-called King Khan. You can compare the 'gravitas' of Amitabh Bachchan with the chirpiness of Shah Rukh Khan all you want, but frankly, does it matter? KBC3 is not going to change Indian television - unlike the original Kaun Banega Crorepati hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, and so what? I don't think even Shah Rukh has no such ambitions.
Court says
A court in Faizabad in northern India has ruled that farmland was illegally allotted to Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. Amitabh Bachchan likely to be prosecuted in for forgery Reports suggest that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is keen on taking legal action against Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, whom a court has found guilty of buying farmland in Uttar Pradesh through fraud. Ram Gopal Varma's Nishabd ready Ram Gopal Varma has wrapped up the shooting of his film about an older man in love with a younger girl, starring Amitabh Bachchan and newcomer Jiah Khan.
Amitabh Bachchan has won the national award for the best actor for his performance in Sanjay Leela Bansali’s Black, media reports said quoting reliable sources. Amitabh had won the national award earlier for Agneepath Boom is our kind of film! Boom is what we are! Bachchan is the surprise package of the film. Every single review has blamed him for acting in Boom. Mayank Shekhar wants him to apologize to the nation. Others cannot believe how Bachchan gave his consent to this movie.
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Bachchan
Filmfare award or not, Bachchan served
a string of flops--12 if we are
counting--in the next two years. It
didn't help that Bachchan looked
rather moody and sour next to the
fair, rounded, pretty boys ruling the
roost in the 70s. By this time,
Amitabh had already met Jaya Bhaduri,
at the FTII, Pune. She quickly went on
to become an established actress
working with the likes of Hrishikesh Mukherjee,
Satyajit Ray, and Gulzar. They worked
together in a couple of very
forgettable movies but were drawn
together nevertheless. Both came for
similar backgrounds--Jaya's father was
author-journalist Taroon Kumar--and
both had a quality of otherness. They
did not really fit in the film
industry at that time in terms of
looks and attitudes.
In 1973, Bachchan married Jaya Bhaduri.
And just when nothing seemed to go
right for the superstar-in-the-making,
Zanjeer, released in 1973, was a
super-duper hit. Rather swept aside in
the glare of the angry, vitriolic,
anti-establishment tenor of Zanjeer,
was the slow, subtle Abhiman, which
was a hit nevertheless. But it is at
this juncture that Amitabh's future
path was crystallized. Bachchan chose
to work the audiences with pure ham,
underscored with some flashes of
brilliance.
While Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and
Namak Halal (1982) made the audiences
laugh, Kabhie Kabhie (1976) made the
public yearn for the bitter,
wallowing, spurned-in-love swain in
Kabhie Kabhie (1976). By 1981 when
Silsila was released, Bachchan was
already in the middle of a scandal
with his wildly speculated on
extra-marital relationship with Rekha.
Silsila capitalized on the intense
curiosity that the Indian audiences
had about this relationship. While
Bachchan maintained a stoic silence in
the middle of all the speculation,
Rekha for a while did openly confirm
the rumors.
In 1982, Bachchan was badly injured on
the sets of Coolie. While he lay
fighting for his life in hospital, the
entire nation came to a standstill,
praying incessantly for his recovery.
Coolie, released in 1983, was an
enormous hit, a talisman of his
recovery. Bachchan was not just a
superstar, he was a cardinal thread in
the warp and weft of Indian society, a
fact he would try to capitalise on
later. 
Besieged from all sides, ABCL
collapsed in 1997, leaving Amitabh
Bachchan debt-ridden. Bachchan who had
gambled all on his name, lost all.
Brand Bachchan was on the block. To
pay off his debts, Bachchan had to
resort to TV endorsements selling tea
and the like. His movies released in
1998-1999, tacky productions such as
Hindustan ki Kasam and Lal Badshah
only pushed him closer to oblivion.
In 2000 Bachchan hosted Kaun Banega
Crorepati, an adaptation of British
game show, Who Wants to be a
Millionaire? The show was the stepping
stone of the biggest comeback in movie
history. Bachchan was back with a
bang. The show that paid him Rs 25
lakhs per episode went a long way in
bolstering Bachchan's finances.
Bachchan was once again the darling of
the masses.
Son Abhishek's much-publicized
wedding, also landed Bachchan smack in
the middle of controvery. Many
progressives were outraged with the
innumerable temple visits that the
future Bachchan bahu, Aishwarya Rai,
was asked to make. There were stories
of Aishwarya's wedding to trees
apparently to counteract her "Manglik-dosha,"
totally denied by Bachchan of course.
