Biography

Amitabh Bachchan, born on October 11, 1942, is a renowned Indian film actor, producer, television host, occasional singer, and former politician. He gained fame in the 1970s for movies like Zanjeer, Deewaar, and Sholay, earning him the title of India's "angry young man" in Bollywood. Known as the Shahenshah of Bollywood, Sadi ka Mahanayak (meaning "Greatest actor of the century"), Star of the Millennium, or simply Big B, Bachchan has appeared in over 190 Indian films in a career spanning nearly five decades. He is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian and world cinema. In fact, French director François Truffaut once referred to him as a "one-man industry" due to his dominance in the Indian movie scene during the 1970s and 1980s. Throughout his career, Bachchan has received numerous accolades, including four National Film Awards for Best Actor, as well as awards at international film festivals and ceremonies. He has won fifteen Filmfare Awards and holds the record for the most nominations in any major acting category at the Filmfare Awards, with a total of 41 nominations. Apart from his acting career, Bachchan has also worked as a playback singer, film producer, and television presenter. He has hosted multiple seasons of the popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. Additionally, he briefly entered politics in the 1980s. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, the Government of India honored Bachchan with the Padma Shri in 1984, the Padma Bhushan in 2001, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015. He also received the Knight of the Legion of Honour, the highest civilian honor in France, in 2007 for his outstanding career in cinema. Furthermore, Bachchan made a notable appearance in the Hollywood film The Great Gatsby (2013), directed by Baz Luhrmann, where he portrayed the character Meyer Wolfsheim, a non-Indian Jewish individual.