Amitabh Bachchan at 80: An inspiring Bollywood icon

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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan who turned 80 on Tuesday is arguably one of the only actors to have had a consistent powerful presence in the industry in each of the past five decades.

Bachchan made his acting debut in 1969’s Saat Hindustani, playing the role of a poet from Ranchi. But his talent came to the fore in the 1973 action thriller Zanjeer, which also earned him the ‘angry young man’ tag.

Superhits quickly followed, firmly establishing Bachchan’s star status. Uber hit Sholay (1975) had the longest theatrical run in India, till Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge broke its record of 286 weeks in 2001.

The superstar continued to work steadily through the 70s, 80s and 90s, delivering memorable hits like Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Yaarana (1981), Coolie (1983), Agneepath (1990), Hum (1991), among many others.

He branched out into experimental fare in the 2000s, giving critically acclaimed performances in Black (2005) and Paa (2009), but continued to make the larger-than-life blockbusters he’d been acclaimed for.

While his contemporaries slowed down and took a back seat, Bachchan worked relentlessly despite many of his films tanking at the box office.

He was most recently seen in Goodbye, which is currently running in cinemas in the UAE. The film that also stars Rashmika Mandanna is tagged as a heartwarming story about life, family and relationships.

While Bachchan excelled in action roles, his physique and demeanor fitting such parts perfectly, he also distinguished himself in romances and family dramas. He wasn’t averse to taking on negative roles early on in his career either, playing an infatuated lover-turned-killer in the 1971 psychological thriller Parwana.

While Bachchan’s larger-than-life films are what he is most renowned for, the accomplished actor also dabbled in television, headlining the popular reality game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (which is currently in its 14th season), and continues to feature heavily in endorsements, signifying his enduring power as a brand.