If Shahrukh Khan is king, then Amitabh Bachchan is God. His 1975 film, Sholay, the first “Curry Western” (the Indian version of the Spaghetti Western), is one of the most beloved Bollywood films ever. That same year, he appeared in Deewaar, a groundbreaking film that established him as the “angry young man,” a character type that reflected the frustration and disillusionment of the times. Amitabh went on to excel in drama, action, romance, and comedy, making him the quintessential “masala” actor. For many years, he was practically a one-man industry. After he was nearly killed in 1982 from an injury sustained during a fight scene, he made unsuccessful forays into politics and business and then struggled for years to make a comeback in film—but comeback he did. In 2000, he became the host of India’s version of the TV show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and film success followed, including Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Sarkar (2005), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), and Paa (2009). He’s married to actress Jaya Bhaduri and their son is actor Abhishek Bachchan, who’s married to actress Aishwarya Rai.
