Amitabh Bachchan in Deewar. (Courtesy: X)
First, let us all wish everyone's favourite Amitabh Bachchan a very happy birthday. The 'Shahenshah of Bollywood' turns 81 today. Since 1969, when his first film Saat Hindustani was released, Amitabh Bachchan has been entertaining us with his versatile performances. Big B's blockbuster films cast a spell on us and his acting is a masterclass for budding stars. Be it Agneepath's Vijay Dinanath Chauhan or Jai in cult-classic Sholay, we can't imagine anyone other than Amitabh Bachchan playing these characters. On the veteran actor's 81st birthday, let's revisit some of his iconic roles that have gone on to achieve cult status.
Zanjeer
Zanjeer was box office gold. The film marked the rise of Big B's angry young man avatar. Inspector Vijay Khanna gave a new dimension to Amitabh Bachchan – the actor. Needless to say, it marked the beginning of the “Vijay” era.
Deewar
Zanjeer was followed by the seminal Deewar. The film cemented Amitabh Bachchan's image as the angry young man of Bollywood.
Sholay
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay is a cult classic. Amitabh Bachchan played one-half of a pair of mercenaries for hire. Some of the most-loved one-liners and comic moments were written down for his character. His partner in crime was Veeru, played by Dharmendra.
Amar Akbar Anthony
Filmmaker Manmohan Desai roped in his favourite actor as a street-smart Catholic in this very popular film. We are convinced no one except Amitabh Bachchan could have essayed Anthony Gonsalves.
Don
Amitabh Bachchan is the OG Don. The actor appears in a double role in this iconic film, playing the elusive gangster Don and his lookalike Vijay, a name which remains synonymous with the megastar.
Kabhi Kabhie
Amitabh Bachchan's Amit Malhotra, a lovelorn poet, is our favourite. Be it the deep-rooted emotions or the moving dialogues, Big B made us fall in love with his character.
Silsila
Yes, Amitabh Bachchan played a character named Amit Malhotra for the second time after Kabhie Kabhie. In this Yash Chopra film, Amit was forced to leave his girlfriend and marry someone else. Things take a major turn when the old flames come face-to-face after years.
Namak Halaal
Though Namak Halaal was a typical Bollywood movie, Amitabh Bachchan as Arjun Singh stood out for his comic timing. After all, who can forget that “English is a very funny language” dialogue?
Agneepath
Amitabh Bachchan with his acting prowess made the character Vijay Dinanath Chauhan larger than life. As he said, “Vijay Dinanath Chauhan poora naam, baap ka naam Dinanath Chauhan, maa ka naam Suhasini Chauhan, gaon Mandwa, umar chhattis saal.” Big B also won his first National Award for the film.
Shahenshah
"Rishte Mein To Hum Tumhare Baap Hote Hain, Naam Hai Shahenshah" is one dialogue that needs no background. The 1998 film featured Amitabh Bachchan as a corrupt policeman (in the day) and a crime-fighting vigilante (in the night).
Happy Birthday, Big B!