Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer and television presenter who has worked in Hindi cinema for more than five decades. He rose to fame in the 1970s as the “angry young man” of Bollywood and later became a household name on television as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati.
After breaking through with Zanjeer (1973), he defined an era with films such as Deewaar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony and Don. A financial collapse in the late 1990s nearly ended his career, but he rebuilt it in 2000 with Mohabbatein and the launch of Kaun Banega Crorepati.
He holds the record for the most National Film Awards for Best Actor, with four wins, and has received the Padma Vibhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. In 2024 he made his Telugu debut in Kalki 2898 AD, and in 2026 he is filming its sequel while continuing to host KBC.
Amitabh Bachchan Quick Facts
| Full Name | Amitabh Harivansh Rai Bachchan |
| Nicknames | Big B, Shahenshah |
| Profession | Actor, Producer, Playback Singer, Television Presenter |
| Date of Birth | 11 October 1942 |
| Age | 83 years (as of September 2026) |
| Birthplace | Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Years Active | 1969–present |
| Debut | Saat Hindustani (1969) |
| Total Movies | 200+ film credits, including cameos and narration (as of September 2026) |
| Known For | Zanjeer, Deewaar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Don, Agneepath, Black, Paa, Piku, Kalki 2898 AD |
| Parents | Harivansh Rai Bachchan (father, poet), Teji Bachchan (mother) |
| Sibling | Ajitabh Bachchan (younger brother) |
| Spouse | Jaya Bachchan (née Bhaduri; m. 1973) |
| Children | Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Abhishek Bachchan |
| Education | Sherwood College, Nainital; Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi |
| Production Company | Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL, founded 1996) |
| Residence | Jalsa, Juhu, Mumbai |
Amitabh Bachchan Career in Numbers
As of September 2026, Amitabh Bachchan has more than 200 film credits since his 1969 debut. Counts differ between sources because some include narration-only work and cameo appearances, while others list only acting roles.
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Film Credits | 200+ (1969–2026) |
| Career Span | 57 years (1969–present) |
| National Film Awards – Best Actor | 4 (record): Agneepath, Black, Paa, Piku |
| Filmfare Awards | 16 wins |
| Padma Awards | Padma Shri (1984), Padma Bhushan (2001), Padma Vibhushan (2015) |
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award | For the year 2018 |
| Television | Host of Kaun Banega Crorepati since 2000 |
| Hollywood Film | The Great Gatsby (2013) |
| Member of Parliament | Allahabad, 1984–1987 |
Early Life and Family
Amitabh Bachchan was born on 11 October 1942 in Allahabad (now Prayagraj). His father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, was a well-known Hindi poet, and his mother, Teji Bachchan, came from a Punjabi Sikh family in Lyallpur. He has one younger brother, Ajitabh Bachchan, a businessman who stays out of the public eye.
The family’s original surname was Srivastava. “Bachchan” was his father’s pen name, and it became the family surname. His parents first considered naming him “Inquilaab”, after the independence-era slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”, before settling on Amitabh, a name suggested by the poet Sumitranandan Pant.
Education and Early Jobs
He studied at Boys’ High School in Allahabad and Sherwood College in Nainital, and graduated from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. Before films, he worked for shipping and freight firms in Kolkata (then Calcutta) and acted in amateur theatre. He famously failed a voice audition at All India Radio, even though his baritone later became one of his biggest assets.
Amitabh Bachchan Career Journey
Debut and Early Struggles (1969–1972)
Bachchan made his acting debut in K. A. Abbas’s Saat Hindustani (1969), and the same year lent his voice as narrator to Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome. Anand (1971), opposite Rajesh Khanna, won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. But most of his early films failed, and by 1972 he was still struggling to find his footing.
Zanjeer and the “Angry Young Man” (1973)
The turning point came with Prakash Mehra’s Zanjeer (1973), written by Salim–Javed. His role as a brooding police officer broke away from the romantic heroes of the time and created the “angry young man” image that would dominate Hindi cinema for the next decade. The same year he married actress Jaya Bhaduri.
Deewaar and Sholay (1975)
In 1975 he starred in two Salim–Javed scripts that became landmarks: Yash Chopra’s Deewaar and Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay. Sholay ran for years in some theatres and is still counted among the most successful Indian films ever made.
Peak Stardom (1976–1984)
The next decade brought a long run of hits, including Kabhi Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Trishul, Don, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Kaala Patthar, Naseeb, Laawaris, Namak Halaal, Shakti and Sharaabi. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Amar Akbar Anthony and Don.
The Coolie Accident (1982)
In July 1982, while filming a fight scene for Coolie in Bengaluru, Bachchan suffered a serious abdominal injury and spent months in hospital. Fans across India prayed for his recovery. He returned to the set, and Coolie (1983) was released with an altered ending in which his character survives.
Politics and a Difficult Phase (1984–1999)
In 1984 he contested the Allahabad Lok Sabha seat and won by a huge margin. He resigned in 1987, after his name was dragged into the Bofors controversy, an allegation he always denied. He returned to films with Shahenshah (1988), and his performance in Agneepath (1990) won him his first National Film Award for Best Actor.
In 1996 he launched Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL). The company ran into heavy losses, including from organising the 1996 Miss World pageant in Bengaluru, and Bachchan was left with large debts by the end of the decade.
The Comeback: Mohabbatein and KBC (2000)
In 2000, Yash Chopra cast him in Mohabbatein, which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. The same year he began hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The show was a massive success and helped him recover financially.
A Second Innings (2001–2015)
He reinvented himself with older, character-driven roles in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…, Baghban, Khakee and Black (2005), which earned him his second National Award for Best Actor. He shared the screen with son Abhishek in Bunty Aur Babli, Sarkar and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. In Paa (2009) he played a 12-year-old boy with progeria, winning a third National Award, and Piku (2015) brought him a record fourth.
Recent Career (2016–2026)
Pink (2016) and Badla (2019) were both well received, and Gulabo Sitabo (2020) won him the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. He played Guru in Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022), and in 2024 appeared as Ashwatthama in Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD, his first Telugu film, and in Rajinikanth’s Tamil film Vettaiyan.
In 2025 he returned for the 17th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati. In 2026 he has been shooting Kalki 2898 AD: Part 2.
Amitabh Bachchan Movies: Key Filmography
Bachchan has more than 200 film credits. The tables below cover his most important work.
1969–1990
| Year | Movie | Language | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Saat Hindustani | Hindi | Anwar Ali | Acting debut |
| 1971 | Anand | Hindi | Dr. Bhaskar Banerjee | Filmfare Best Supporting Actor |
| 1973 | Zanjeer | Hindi | Inspector Vijay Khanna | Breakthrough |
| 1973 | Abhimaan | Hindi | Subir Kumar | With Jaya Bhaduri |
| 1975 | Deewaar | Hindi | Vijay Verma | Landmark crime drama |
| 1975 | Sholay | Hindi | Jai | All-time classic |
| 1976 | Kabhi Kabhie | Hindi | Amit Malhotra | Romantic drama |
| 1977 | Amar Akbar Anthony | Hindi | Anthony Gonsalves | Filmfare Best Actor |
| 1978 | Don | Hindi | Don / Vijay | Double role; Filmfare Best Actor |
| 1978 | Trishul | Hindi | Vijay Kumar | Yash Chopra film |
| 1978 | Muqaddar Ka Sikandar | Hindi | Sikandar | Major hit |
| 1981 | Silsila | Hindi | Amit Malhotra | With Jaya Bachchan and Rekha |
| 1982 | Namak Halaal | Hindi | Arjun Singh | Major hit |
| 1983 | Coolie | Hindi | Iqbal Khan | Shot around his 1982 injury |
| 1984 | Sharaabi | Hindi | Vicky Kapoor | Hit |
| 1988 | Shahenshah | Hindi | Vijay Kumar Srivastav | Return after politics |
| 1990 | Agneepath | Hindi | Vijay Deenanath Chauhan | First National Award – Best Actor |
2000–2026
| Year | Movie | Language | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Mohabbatein | Hindi | Narayan Shankar | Comeback; Filmfare Best Supporting Actor |
| 2001 | Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… | Hindi | Yashvardhan Raichand | Family drama |
| 2003 | Baghban | Hindi | Raj Malhotra | Hit |
| 2005 | Black | Hindi | Debraj Sahai | Second National Award – Best Actor |
| 2005 | Sarkar | Hindi | Subhash Nagre | With Abhishek Bachchan |
| 2007 | Cheeni Kum | Hindi | Buddhadev Gupta | Romantic comedy |
| 2009 | Paa | Hindi | Auro | Third National Award – Best Actor |
| 2010 | Kandahar | Malayalam | Maj. Lokanath Sharma | Malayalam debut |
| 2013 | The Great Gatsby | English | Meyer Wolfsheim | Hollywood debut |
| 2015 | Piku | Hindi | Bhashkor Banerjee | Fourth National Award – Best Actor |
| 2016 | Pink | Hindi | Deepak Sehgal | Courtroom drama |
| 2019 | Badla | Hindi | Badal Gupta | Thriller |
| 2019 | Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy | Telugu | Gosayi Venkanna | Guest role |
| 2020 | Gulabo Sitabo | Hindi | Chunnan “Mirza” Nawab | Filmfare Critics Best Actor |
| 2022 | Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva | Hindi | Guru | Fantasy epic |
| 2022 | Uunchai | Hindi | Amit Srivastava | Sooraj Barjatya film |
| 2024 | Kalki 2898 AD | Telugu | Ashwatthama | Telugu lead debut |
| 2024 | Vettaiyan | Tamil | Satyadev | With Rajinikanth |
Kaun Banega Crorepati and Television
Bachchan has hosted Kaun Banega Crorepati since its first season in 2000. The only season he did not host was the third (2007), presented by Shah Rukh Khan; his 2005 season was cut short by illness. He returned for the 17th season in 2025. He also hosted the third season of Bigg Boss (2009) and starred in the TV drama Yudh (2014).
Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL)
Bachchan founded ABCL in 1996 to work across film production, distribution, music, television and events. Its first production, Tere Mere Sapne (1996), did well, but losses from the 1996 Miss World pageant and other projects pushed the company into deep financial trouble. The banner, later renamed AB Corp, went on to co-produce films including Paa.
Amitabh Bachchan Awards and Achievements
National Film Awards
| Film Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | National Film Award | Best Actor | Agneepath | Won |
| 2005 | National Film Award | Best Actor | Black | Won |
| 2009 | National Film Award | Best Actor | Paa | Won |
| 2015 | National Film Award | Best Actor | Piku | Won |
Filmfare Awards (Selected)
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Filmfare Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Anand | Won |
| 1977 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Amar Akbar Anthony | Won |
| 1978 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Don | Won |
| 2000 | Filmfare Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Mohabbatein | Won |
| 2005 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Black | Won |
| 2020 | Filmfare Awards | Critics Award for Best Actor | Gulabo Sitabo | Won |
Civilian and Industry Honours
| Year | Honour | Awarded By |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Padma Shri | Government of India |
| 2001 | Padma Bhushan | Government of India |
| 2007 | Knight of the Legion of Honour | Government of France |
| 2015 | Padma Vibhushan | Government of India |
| 2018 | Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Government of India |
He has won 16 Filmfare Awards in total, including the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1999 he was voted the greatest star of stage or screen of the millennium in a BBC News Online poll.
Amitabh Bachchan Lifestyle
Bachchan is known for his deep baritone voice, which he has used in narration, voice-overs and playback songs such as “Rang Barse” and “Mere Angne Mein”. He is a keen writer online and has kept a personal blog for many years, posting almost daily.
He has said he is a vegetarian and does not drink or smoke. He lives at Jalsa in Juhu, Mumbai, where fans gather outside the gate every Sunday for a glimpse of him. He has supported causes such as polio eradication as a UNICEF ambassador and has publicly helped clear the loans of farmers in several states.
Amitabh Bachchan Personal Life
Amitabh Bachchan married actress Jaya Bhaduri on 3 June 1973. They have two children: Shweta Bachchan Nanda, an author, and Abhishek Bachchan, an actor. Abhishek is married to actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and the couple have a daughter, Aaradhya. Jaya Bachchan is also a Rajya Sabha MP.
Amitabh Bachchan Net Worth
Amitabh Bachchan is widely reported to be among the highest-earning figures in Indian entertainment. His income comes from films, television hosting, brand endorsements and real-estate holdings. However, public estimates vary, and there is no officially verified figure for his net worth.
Numbers published by celebrity-wealth websites have not been confirmed by Bachchan or his team and should be treated only as rough estimates.
Amitabh Bachchan Social Media
- Instagram: @amitabhbachchan
- X (Twitter): @SrBachchan
- Blog: srbachchan.tumblr.com
He is one of the most active Indian film stars online, numbering his posts on X and writing regular blog entries for his followers, whom he calls his “Ef” (extended family).
Lesser-Known Facts About Amitabh Bachchan
- His family’s original surname was Srivastava; “Bachchan” was his father’s pen name.
- His parents first thought of naming him “Inquilaab”.
- He was rejected at an All India Radio voice audition early in his life.
- His first screen credit was as the narrator of Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome (1969).
- In 2000 he became the first living Asian to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds London.
- He carried the Olympic torch in London in 2012.
- He did not charge a fee for his Malayalam film Kandahar (2010).
- He made his Telugu debut at 81 in Kalki 2898 AD.
Amitabh Bachchan Upcoming Projects
Currently Filming
- Kalki 2898 AD: Part 2: Nag Ashwin’s sequel with Prabhas and Kamal Haasan. Bachchan’s scenes were partly shot in early 2026. In September 2026 the director said regular shooting would resume in mid-October, with release targeted for 2028.
Announced
- Section 84: a courtroom drama directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, announced in 2023. A release date has not been officially confirmed.
Television
- He hosted the 17th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati (2025).
Note: dates and project status can change. The details above reflect public reports as of September 2026.
Legacy and Impact
Bachchan’s “angry young man” roles of the 1970s gave Hindi cinema one of its most lasting screen types, a working-class hero fighting an unfair system. Writers, directors and actors across Indian film industries still cite those films as an influence.
His career is also known for its second act. After ABCL’s collapse, he moved into older, character-led roles and television, and he has stayed commercially relevant for more than 50 years, a rare run in any film industry.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amitabh Bachchan
Who is Amitabh Bachchan?
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian actor, producer, playback singer and TV host, best known for Hindi films such as Sholay, Deewaar and Don, and for hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati.
How old is Amitabh Bachchan?
He was born on 11 October 1942, so he is 83 years old as of September 2026.
Where was Amitabh Bachchan born?
He was born in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh.
What was Amitabh Bachchan’s first movie?
His acting debut was Saat Hindustani (1969). The same year, he narrated Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome.
How many movies has Amitabh Bachchan done?
He has more than 200 film credits as of September 2026, including cameos and narration roles.
How many National Awards has Amitabh Bachchan won?
He has won four National Film Awards for Best Actor, for Agneepath, Black, Paa and Piku, the most by any actor. He also received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Why is Amitabh Bachchan called the “angry young man”?
The label comes from the rebellious, anti-establishment heroes he played in 1970s films such as Zanjeer and Deewaar.
Does Amitabh Bachchan still host Kaun Banega Crorepati?
Yes. He has hosted every season since 2000 except the third, and he returned for season 17 in 2025.
Who are Amitabh Bachchan’s children?
He has two children with Jaya Bachchan: Shweta Bachchan Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan.
What is Amitabh Bachchan’s net worth?
Public estimates vary, and there is no officially verified figure for his net worth.
Final Summary
Amitabh Bachchan went from a struggling newcomer with a string of flops to the defining star of 1970s Hindi cinema. He survived a near-fatal injury, a short political career and a business collapse, and came back through Mohabbatein and Kaun Banega Crorepati.
With a record four National Awards for Best Actor, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and more than 200 film credits, he is still working at 83, with Kalki 2898 AD: Part 2 in production.