Amitabh Bachchan (80), You may not know!

Amitabh is the son of Padma Bhushan Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan of Allahabad, U.P.  Harivansh Rai  is a  great Hindi Literature giant.  He wanted to name Amitabh as 'Inquilab' (meaning 'revolution').

But later he changed it to 'Amitabh' (meaning 'brilliance unlimited').  Amitabh inherited his surname from his father's pen-name Bachchan (meaning 'child like'). Amitabh was initiated in to acting by his mother. 
   
      
 2.Amitabh is ambidextrous and therefore he can write with his both hands equally well.  But in films we have seen him as a left-hander.                                                                                                           
                                                                     
3.Amitabh wanted to become an engineer and wanted to join Indian Air Force.  

4.In search of a job, he came to Kolkata.  Amitabh's first employer was 'Bird & Company' who had                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Paper Mills and Coal mines.  His first salary was about Rs.300.                        

5.Amitabh could not pass the voice test for entering All India Radio, Kolkata as a news-reader. His voice was termed as hoarse!  But we all know and love Amitabh for his majestic voice.                                                                                                                                        
6.With the help of actor Mehmood, Amitabh came to Mumbai seeking a career in acting.  His first film was 'Saat Hindustani' released during 1969.  

                                                                                                             7.Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave Amitabh an introduction letter addressed to her friend Nargis.  Therefore Nargis' husband Sunil Dutt gave Amitabh the role of a 'dumb' person in his film 'Reshma aur Shera' (1971).                                                                  

8.Amitabh came to limelight when he played a supporting role in the Rajesh Khanna starrer 'Anand' (1971). Rajesh Khanna was already a super-star by that time.  During the shooting period, Amitabh  

   

has confessed, that he was shy of talking to Rajesh Khanna.             

                                                                                                              

8.Before making a big breakthrough in the film Zanjeer (1973) as an angry young man, Amitabh had acted in 12 flop films.  His role  

in Zanjeer was first offered to Dev Anand who rejected and therefore Amitabh got the opportunity!

9.Amitabh has acted with almost all heroines of 3-4 generations of his period.  His wife Jaya Badhuri

too is a great actress.  But for Amitabh his most beautiful actress is Waheeda Rehman.    

                                                                                                             

10.Amitabh's 'special friend' and actress Rekha's birthday coincidentally falls on 10th October, just

one day prior to Amitabh's. Stars matched, but fate did not!                                 

11.Amitabh was voted as the 'star of the millenium' by BBC voters, 
putting him ahead of greats like Charlie Chaplin, Marlon Brando and Laurence Olivier.  Like Chaplin, a light sense of comedy while acting for different  types of roles is Amitabh's mark of genius.  Remember his soliloquy in front of the mirror in Amar, Akbar, Anthony!

 12.Amitabh was the first Asian actor to be honored with a wax-statue on display at Madam

Thussaud's, London. I can be seen with his statue here along with my wife.                                                                                               

13. Amitabh is a T.B.survivor.  He was detected with T.B. of the spine when he was trying to revive his career with KBC during 2000.  This great man has never hided his disease from public domain

unlike so many ordinary people do. He told people that if T.B. can happen to him, it can happen to anybody.  He wanted to give a message to common men that TB is curable. He became an 'unpaid ambassador' of the Government for promoting awareness about T.B. Recognizing his services U.S.Government honored him (see Pic) with a special trophy during the 'World T.B. Day - 2004'.
                                                                                                                                                          
 14.Amitabh has also never hesitated to tell people that he is suffering from Liver Cirrhosis although he has never touched alcohol.  He contracted this disease when he received blood from about 200 voluntary donors,  when he was under treatment for the fatal injury he received during shooting of the film 'Coolie' during 1982. He says that he is living with just 25% liver.                                                                                                                                                                        
 15.Besides Amitabh also suffers from Asthma and a disease related to muscles. Since 1982 he is a frequent  patient to the Hospitals.  But he is able to overcome all these diseases because of his indomitable spirit to live and excel.  He is really great because he has disclosed all his ailments to people in order to fill them with courage.                                                                                                                                                                                        

16.Amitabh is also an 'unpaid ambassador' for more public causes. Gujarat Tourism received a very 

 big boost after he started spreading 'khushboo Gujarat Ki' in his inimitable style.  It is equally heartening to see him promoting 'Swachh Bharat',  never hesitating to become one with rural people in politely guiding them towards 'Sulabh Shauchalayas'. 

Amitabh Bachchan's life itself is a great message for all of us, especially to youngsters.  For him 'work is worship and birth is a God given gift to live and excel irrespective of obstacles'.  He does not believe in delivering sermons.  He guides people by 'walking the talk'!  May God bless him and his family with very long life, health, happiness and prosperity.                                                        

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