About the Book

He is the only Hindi film actor who has, despite unending struggles in the beginning of his career, managed to overcome all hurdles, rise to the top, and remain there, undefeated, for years on end. Despite the fact that Amitabh Bachchan has been associated with the epithet ‘Angry Young Man’ for his portrayal of the hero fighting the villain in many of his earlier films, he has proved his mettle in socially conscious as well as family-oriented films too, be it Pink, or Baghban. This is one actor who has constantly raised the bar with his acting genius.
In his five-decade-long career, Amitabh has acted in 200-plus Hindi films, bagging a number of awards, including the second highest civilian honour in India – the Padma Vibhushan, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, four National Film awards for Best Actor and fifteen Filmfare awards, to name just a few.
Immense talent is what has sustained Amitabh, and it has shone through in each of his performances. Be it superhit mass entertainers like Don, Amar Akbar Anthony, or Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, or sensitive subjects, based more on reality, like a delicate saga of romance between a young girl and an older man in Nishabd, the superbly performed, gut-wrenching story of a deaf and blind woman and her mentor, who himself develops Alzheimer’s disease, played with unmatched brilliance by Amitabh in Black, or the political drama, Sarkar – many of Amitabh’s superlative performances have remained with the audiences for decades.
Amitabh Bachchan: The Forever Star takes you through this phenomenal actor’s life, from when he was struggling with rejection because of his lanky physique and ‘uncharacteristic’ baritone, till he was accepted for his sheer talent and genius! It is also about an artist whose personal and cinematic journey has been full of ups and downs, but he has played all his roles, be it that of a dutiful son, a loving husband, a doting father, a not-so-suave businessman, a reluctant politician, or someone who has faced all kinds of challenges head-on, with élan. The stunning visuals, never-before-heard stories from friends and co-workers, and intriguing anecdotes make this book one of a kind and a perfect read for every Amitabh fan.



‘I would like to wish him a very happy birthday. He is a “personality in totality”, in the true sense, the tallest figure in the contemporary film industry and show business. To the world he is undoubtedly a national icon and international celebrity, but for me, the eighty-year-young Amitabh Bachchan epitomises a friend forever.’
- SHATRUGHAN SINHA

‘The way Amitabh has portrayed anger on the screen is unprecedented and unparalleled ... I believe that any artist can only offer the emotions and feelings that are part of his personal repertoire. We talk about the talent of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, but I must say that Amitabh Bachchan is no less than them in terms of talent and potential.’
- JAVED AKHTAR

‘His is truly a remarkable story and a very unique one. No other actor in India has undertaken even half the journey he has, nor had the same impact on our collective consciousness. People talk about Dilip Kumar. But he is history, already. Shah Rukh Khan…give him another twenty years, we’ll talk then. Aamir Khan – hugely talented, but also equally hugely over-rated. That leaves just one guy – and he is everywhere. On the small screen and big. On billboards and stickers. On radio and websites. In wax and on canvas. Books, films, news clips…poems, songs, essays…there is hardly any space left that has not in some way been impacted by him, directly or indirectly. All this, and a temple in Kolkata too. What does this make Amitabh – a living deity, perhaps?’
- SHOBHAA DÉ

‘Amitabh is large-hearted and generous by nature. This was amply evident to us in 2008 when we decided to build a dormitory for fifty more girls at Sherwood. He did not make public his financial contribution towards this effort and, yet, keenly followed the construction work till it was successfully completed.’
-INDERJIT KHANNA

‘It takes a lot in this business to be a star forever and only one actor has done it with consistency and dignity, and his name is AMITABH BACHCHAN. A Real Star. Forever.’
-SUBHASH GHAI

‘This book on Amitabh is particularly interesting because [it tells] a story that is quite unique about a person who has been more frequently written about and chronicled than anyone else in recent history.’
- PRITISH NANDY