Amitabh Harivansh Srivastav Bachchan was born on October 11th, 1942 in Allahabad, India. He is the son of the accomplished poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan. He has a younger brother named Ajitabh. Ajitabh now lives in London with his wife, Ramola.
After completing his education from many colleges in India, he moved to Kolkata to work for a shipping firm, but later moved to Bombay and struggled to find work as an actor- producers wanted someone with fairer skin. Besides, the intense, dark look didn’t make a good impression with directors who were looking for the standard Indian ’60′s hero- a funny, free going, romantic type. But they did use one of his other assets – his deep baritone voice – which was used for narration and background voicing. He was successful in being cast in the minor Saat Hindustani. Bachchan struggled through many roles and was limited at times to doing voice-overs, and in one instance, playing a deaf-mute so that his deep voice wouldn’t overwhelm the viewer.
He got his break in Bollywood after a letter of introduction from his family friend Rajiv Gandhi, the son of India’s Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. The trademark penetrating eyes, tall and brooding look, and baritone voice made Amitabh Bachchan the ideal “Angry Young Man” in the 1970s, thereby changing the face of Indian cinema. His persona fit right into the times, showing the turmoil and violence of India’s youth at the time. Bachchan sculpted a new image for the typical Bollywood leading man with hit movies like Shakti, Don, Kala Patthar, and Deewar. This is how Amitabh made an entry into Bollywood. In Zanjeer in 1973, he co-starred with his future wife Jaya Bhaduri, and the rest, as they say, is history. They got married and now have two kids, Shweta and Abhishek.
Amitabh and Jaya were got to get their son, Abhishek, (also an talented actor) formally engaged to Karishma Kapoor, but later the engagement was broken off. Abhishek later got engaged to beautiful former Miss World and world-wide actress, Aishwarya Rai on Sunday, January 14, 2007 at the Banchchan residence in Juhu, Bombay. They were married at the same site on April 20, 2007. Shweta has been married, lives a no-films life, and has a child.
Being friends with Rajiv Gandhi convinced the Big B (before he became the Big B) to decide to run for a Congress seat for the city of Allahabad in 1985, but he had to leave in the middle of his term because of a report of involvement in financial irregularities. He was completely cleared later, but the controversy made him decide to step down.
After a four year break, he was back in the unsuccessful Mrityudaata in 1997, a comeback which Amitabh wishes to forget. Critics dismissed him, but his career was spared with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998). But four unsuccessful films in 1999 and a seemingly well-thought out venture to start a production company landed him in immense debt and saw him at an all-time low. To make matters worse his credit rating fell to such an extent that Canara Bank sued him for outstanding loans.
He did bounce back, presenting Kaun Banega Crorepati? (the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?) in 2000. After a series of hits with Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Baghban (2003) and Khakee (2004) he proved that he had an equal talent for tragedy films as well as comedies. He had a great talent to play roles that require action, comedy, tragedy, and romance all wrapped up into one character.
At the height of his popularity he was injured in an accident while shooting for the film Coolie. Millions of people prayed for his recovery, proof of his mega-star status. Today, Bachchan has been in over 170 films and is one of the most well-known actors and singers in Bollywood as well as on TV.