Amitabh Bachchan’s 10 most notable Bollywood roles
Last week, Indian news media reported that Amitabh Bachchan “underwent angioplasty” due to health complications. The 81-year-old Bollywood actor refuted the claims on the same day, calling them “fake news.”
For a short period of time, fans panicked. However, something like this tends to happen every time reports of Bachchan’s hospitalization come out.
Like when I was filming an action scene for the 1983 movie. coolie, he misjudged the timing of his fall and suffered a near-fatal injury to his abdomen. He was one of the biggest stars of his time, and news of his accident sparked the kind of public frenzy rarely seen before in India.
With a career spanning over 50 years, Bachchan remains a force to be reckoned with. Although his early work in action dramas often portrayed him as a stoic man with a quiet anger powerful enough to consume the forces of evil, his work in more comedic and romantic roles has shown him to be versatile. He solidified his position as an actor.
Whether he’s asked to play an action star, a self-paced man, a broken man, a smart-aleck career criminal, or a straight-up villain, Bachchan takes every opportunity to delve deeper into his character.
His credits as a cultural megastar in over 200 films Sholaiturn-in Deewar Appears in a short role in Australian writer and director Baz Luhrmann’s historical romance great gatsby – continues to inspire actors and filmmakers and amaze fans around the world.
It’s difficult to narrow down his career accomplishments to a definitive list, but here are arguably 10 of his most notable films, including some blockbusters and some underrated ones. Let me introduce you.
1. Zanjeer (Shackles), 1973
Prakash Mehra’s action drama is the first of many collaborations with Bachchan. In addition, the actor’s reputation, which had been sluggish up until then, suddenly rose to the level of a movie star.
This role itself earned him the title “Angry Young Man”. This image later became synonymous with his stoicism in films such as: Deewar and Sholaiboth a huge success and a timeless quote.
a Zanjeer A remake was released in 2013, but was almost universally rejected by critics and audiences. Nothing can match the untapped feeling of righteous anger brought to you by both the original story and Bachchan’s protagonist.
2. Deewar (Wall), 1975
Yash Chopra’s drama, the story of two brothers on both sides of the law, is one of the most influential films to be released in the mainstream realm of Indian Hindi cinema.
The crime drama, which British director Danny Boyle has claimed is the “key to Indian cinema”, broadly reflects the worldview of his Academy Award-winning film. slumdog millionaire.
if Zanjeer Established “Angry Young Man” Deewar He tried to mold his aura into a distinctly anti-establishment character, furious at the world.
Bachchan’s swagger further reinforced the sarcastic disdain that his character Vijay had for the status quo, turning him into a memorable character.
3. Chupke Chupke (Quietly), 1975
Renowned director Hrishikesh Mukherjee may have many beloved films in his filmography, but this is the rare classic comedy that you can watch over and over again.
Bachchan is part of the supporting cast, with Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore leading the show as the newlyweds, staging an elaborate chaud to prove a point.
His jaw-dropping monologues and chemistry with Jaya Bachchan (whom he married in 1973) make this an underrated piece of comedy gold.
4. Sholay (Embers), 1975
the person called bbc india ‘Bollywood’s Star Wars’, Ramesh Sippy’s Hindi production, was technically the most ground-breaking film of its time.
Bachchan is once again part of a wide-ranging ensemble that includes Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini and resident villain Amjad Khan, who plays the titular villain Gabbar Singh. Bachchan not only holds his own but also shines in the most unexpected moments.
5. Don, 1978
Directed by Chandra Barot, written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. Don It’s an absolute blast.
It’s the ultimate feel-good movie for people who love vintage Bollywood action. The lavish production design casts Bachchan in the dual roles of the suave titular crime lord and his unrelated doppelganger, Vijay, whose personalities are as different as chalk and cheese.
The star made the most of his commanding screen presence as the Don, looking ridiculously stylish and ending the lives of his opponents without batting an eye.
6. Silsila (continued), 1981
Yash Chopra’s This production was one of the two notable films in the Hindi film industry at the time, the other being Mahesh Bhatt’s work. Ars – Be honest with your audience.
Bachchan is phenomenal as Amit, a man who finds himself in an impossible situation and has to choose between doing the “right thing” and the only thing he wants most: being reunited with his ex-lover.
Chopra’s on-screen chemistry with Rekha and his control over the story gives the film an old-world charm.
7. Ax (The Reflection), 2001
This is probably the wildest movie with Bachchan in the lead role.
Rakesh Omprakash Mehra’s directorial debut features the megastar in the role of police officer Manu Verma. One might expect a daily story tracking serial killer 101, but Manu’s determination to catch the deranged killer Raghavan Ghatge picks up the pace.
But then the bad guys were caught too soon and from here everything started shocking the fans and gave Bachchan a chance to delve into the craziness of his role.
8. Kabi Alvida NAA Kena (Never Say Goodbye), 2006
This was Karan Johar’s first foray into what would eventually become an incredibly stressful relationship drama.
This is a deeper dive into the domino effect of dysfunctional relationships, but Bachchan seemed to be playing borderline sleazy comic relief and may have endorsed his problematic traits. It brings subtle nuance to things.
Although he is not the focus of the film’s story here, his great job crafts one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the drama’s second act.
9. Paa (2009)
Perhaps one of the most physically transformative roles in his filmography, 12-year-old Oro suffers from a rare genetic mutation that causes him to age rapidly.
While the plot of R Balki’s film is a sweet take on life and mortality, Bachchan’s performance as Auro is perhaps one of his best. It shows in his effort to perform the necessary prosthetic work to make his characters look believable and his ability to display theatrical precocity grounded in realism.
10. Piku (2015)
Deepika Padukone may have made headlines in Shoojit Sircar’s comedy-drama about reverse parenting, but without Bachchan’s comically frustrating counterpoint, the film would have slumped in its final moments. It wouldn’t have made a huge impact.
Bachchan is an impressive presence, only excelled by his uncanny ability to astonish viewers with his perfect comic timing, leaving viewers wondering whether to laugh or scream at the screen.
Updated: March 20, 2024, 10:31 a.m.
