Shahenshah of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan turns 78

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, the 'Shahenshah' of Bollywood, turns a year older today.

Big B is celebrating his 78th birthday With a career spanning over five decades, the superstar has made a special place in our hearts with his impeccable performances and rules the Hindi film industry like no one else. 

Amitabh who made his acting debut in 1969 with ‘Saat Hindustani’ went on to do films like ‘Sholay’ and ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’. With a filmography of over 200 films, ‘Big B’ has made sure that his silver screen presence manages to leave an everlasting impression on his fans and cinema lovers. 

In his illustrious career, he has won several accolades like the Dadasahleb Phalke Award, four National Film Awards as Best Actor, and as many as 15 Filmfare Awards.

The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1984, the Padma Bhushan in 2001, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
For his exceptional career in the world of cinema, the Government of France honoured him with its highest civilian honour, Knight of the Legion of Honour, in 2007.

Big B’s influence is not just limited to the silver screen. He has been the face of many brands for several years. On television, he is widely popular as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati for nearly 20 years.

let's look upon some of his big blockbuster hits that prove Big B is irreplaceable in Bollywood:

Zanjeer
Living up to the title of 'angry young man', Amitabh Bachchan delivered this blockbuster in the early 1970s. The actor had starred in several films before, but it is only Zanjeer that made him a star. Amit Ji played the role of a truthful police inspector, Vijay and gave Bollywood a new trending genre, shifting from romance to action-packed dramas. 

Deewar
Deewar portrays Amitabh Bachchan as a smuggler and revolves around the rift between two brothers - Vijay, Amitabh Bachchan himself and Ravi played by Shashi Kapoor. There exists a certain boundary between the two which is depicted through the title of the film itself. Deewar was the fourth highest-grossing film of 1975 and it received the Filmfare award in the same year.

Sholay
This cult classic needs no introduction! It is considered to be one of the biggest blockbuster hits in the history of Indian cinema. Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra played the iconic characters of Jai and Veeru while Hema Malini is remembered as Basanti. The movie was played at the Minerva Theatre in Mumbai for 5 years and continues to be one of our all-time favourites.

Badla
The film brings together Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu once again after Pink where Big B is seen acing the role of a lawyer. The film was a mind buster that made the viewers think twice at every step as Mr Bachchan was on his way to unfolding the mystery behind two deaths in the town. The story follows an interview between the lawyer and a businesswoman, her client who is being wrongfully framed for the two murders.

Silsila
A romantic-drama film, Silsila starred Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan,  Sanjeev Kumar and Rekha in pivotal roles. The film which was a commercial flop gained a massive cult following over the years, and also earned the tag of being a 'classic'.

Mohabattein
Amitabh Bachchan as Narayan Shankar, the disciplined principal of 'Gurukul', is an iconic character that no fan of the actor can ever forget. Honour, tradition, and discipline -- the three basic principles that Shankar expects his students to abide by, are what makes the spirit of Shankar's character in the film. Amitabh's fabulous acting and the magnetic persona that he exudes as Shankar is unforgettable.