AMITABH BACHCHAN

Amitabh Bachchan was born on October 11, 1942 to eminent poet Harivanshrai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan. He began his film carrier in 1969, with the movie Saat Hindustani.In 1973, his film Zanjeer was released, in which he played a new kind of hero, who took the law into his own hands and fought the injustices in the system and earned the epithet, "angry young man". Amitabh worked initially with a shipping firm in Calcutta before moving to Mumbai in 1968. He had applied for a job in All India Radio, but was rejected.

He went on to score major hits with movies like Anand (1970), Namak Haram (1973). Amitabh came on to the scene when there was a great deal of disaffection in the country, especially among the educated unemployment. In the subsequent years, he went on give several major hits like Deewaar (1975), he played the role of a mafia don opposite Trishul (1978), Don (1978), Natwarlal (1979), Mr. Suhaag (1979),The Great Gambler (1980), Kaalia (1981) Silsila (1981), Shakti (1982).

Though he played the role of angry young man to perfection, he excelled in all types of roles whether they be romantic roles or comic roles. In 1984, he joined politics and was elected to Parliament from Allahabad. He did not complete his tenure and resigned from his seat.He won the National Award for his role in Agneepath (1990). Though he suffered a slump in fortunes, he shot back into the limelight when he hosted the popular programme Kaun Banega Crorepati? He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001.