Amitabh Bachchan Movies
Amitabh Bachchan is the undisputed king of Indian cinema; having appeared in over 90 films, he is certainly one of his country's most prolific performers. His 1969 film debut, Saat Hindustani, was not met with success, but within a few years his place as a top action star in India would be firmly established. His 1970s success, including such films as Zanjeer, Deewar, and Sholay, would continue for over ten years. Eventually, Bachchan retired almost completely from acting and pursued other interests, including in film production and a brief political stint in Indian parliament. Although popular male action stars throughout Asia are inevitably compared to Clint Eastwood, Bachchan may, in fact, defy this rather cliched analogy. In addition to strong acting and presence, this Indian superstar's performances have also required singing and dancing in the elaborate musical numbers that are popular in his country's cinema.~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- 2009
A young boy suffering from a rare, progeria-like genetic disorder relies on his relationship with his politician father to get him through the tough times. Thirteen-year-old Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) is bright, witty, and affectionate. His mother, Vidya (Vidya Balan), is a successful gynecologist, and his father, Amol Arte (Abhishek Bachchan), is a progressive politician who values honesty above all else. Despite appearing nearly five times older than his actual age, Auro is content thanks to the unconditional love of his parents. When he starts to get down, Auro looks to his father and remembers that things aren't always as bad as they seem. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Abhishek Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, (more)
- 2008
A young boy befriends a kindly ghost after moving with his family into a new house and not realizing that it is haunted. Banku and his family had no idea that their new home was already occupied, and at first Boothnath thought the family was attempting to take away his home. After a failed attempt at frightening the family away, Boothnath realizes that they wish him no harm and strikes up a close friendship with young Banku. This is the story of a boy and his ghost, inseparable friends who share the joy of the good times, and always help each other through the bad times. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2007
A mere mortal gets the unique opportunity to try his hand at being the creator in director Rumy Jaffery's heavenly comedy. Arun Prajapati (Salman Khan) has just experienced what he believes to be the worst day of his life, and as the sun begins to set he rails against God for making his life a living hell. When God responds by taking human form (Amitabh Bachchan) and challenging Arun to see how well he fares at carrying out the divine duties, the awestricken mortal responds with childlike zeal. The result is a series of hysterical disasters that threaten to spiral into a cosmic calamity. Arun thinks that by granting everyone their deepest wishes he can make the world a better place, but it doesn't take him long to realize that God's job is tougher than it looks. And while the love of Arun's life (Priyanka Chopra) is genuinely impressed with his newfound confidence, will she still have the same feelings for him once his powers are gone? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, (more)
- 2007
Indian movie icon Amitabh Bachchan commands the screen as an aging actor lured out of retirement by an ambitious young auteur in this drama that marks the veteran actor's first-ever English-speaking film role. Harish Misra (Bachchan) believes he has already done everything possible in the world of film. Vain, passionate, and terminally strong-willed, the enormously talented retiree has abandoned the world of cinema and retreated from the modern world to the comforts of his lavish study. Despite his determination never to return to the screen, however, Harish is eventually persuaded to return to film by ambitious young director Siddharth (Arjun Rampal). But once on set, Harish simply can't relate to the younger cast members, and scoffs at the artifice of contemporary cinema. Upon completing his punishing performance, Harish falls into a coma. Though worrisome co-star Shabnam (Preity Zinta) clearly has a genuine sense of concern for the gravely ill Harish, director Siddharth remains inexplicably distant through the whole ordeal. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, (more)
Love and dreams follow two starry-eyed actors across three decades and two incarnations in this splashy Hindi musical. It's the early Seventies, and Om Prakash Makhija (Shah Rukh Khan) is a young would-be actor who has been playing bit parts in Bollywood musicals while looking for his big break. Om's ambition is to become a film star and win the heart of beautiful screen siren Shantipriya (Deepika Padukone), and his pal Pappu (Shreyas Talpade) and his mother Bela (Kirron Kher) both encourage him not to give up on his dreams. One day, Om meets Shantipriya on a movie set, and he feels as if destiny is finally smiling on him, but when he overhears her having an argument with studio chief Mukesh Mehra (Arjun Rampal), Om senses things are not as they should be. Before Om can decide what to make of his misgivings, the studio burns to the ground, claiming the lives of Om and Shantipriya. Thirty years later, a bit of Om's spirit seems to live on in Om Kapoor (also played by Shah Rukh Khan) a popular film actor with a large ego and a fear of flame who was born the day the old studio burned down. Despite his fame, Om is lonely, at least until he meets Sandhya (also played by Deepika Padukone), a shy but eager would-be actress looking for her chance to become a star. Om Shanti Om was directed and co-written by Farah Khan, who was a top choreographer in the Indian film industry before moving up to the director's chair, and features guest spots from a number of Bollywood's greatest stars, a few appearing in the form of digital recreations taken from films of the Seventies. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal, (more)
After a seven-year self-imposed exile from cinema, acclaimed filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra returns to the director's chair for this tale about a Royal Guardsman and expert marksman whose loyalty to the crown is the stuff of legend. Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan) lives for one reason and one reason only: to protect Devigarh at all costs. For nine generations, Eklavya's family has protected Rajasthan's centuries-old citadel, and Eklavya's staunch dedication has even inspired loving ballads by the people of the kingdom. Whether guarding the royals themselves or just their secrets, Eklavya could always be counted on to see his job through to the bitter end. These days, however, Eklavya is getting old and his eyesight is failing. Though royal heir Prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan) had once fled to London in hopes of escaping the suffocating customs of his land, the death of Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore) has now prompted him to return to Devigarh and embrace his true fate. As new royalty comes in and old loyalty clings to life, Devigarh is about to experience one of the most sizable shifts the kingdom has ever witnessed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, (more)
- 2007
Shaad Ali Sahgal's Bollywood musical romance Jhoom Barabar Jhoom begins when Rikki (Abhishek Bachchan) meets Alvira Khan (Preity Zinta) at a train station. Each one tells the other the history of how they met their significant other. The two obviously have an affinity for each other, but nothing comes of it after the train arrives. Surprisingly the two couples end up at the same establishment, leading to some surprising revelations. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, (more)
- 2007
Director Apoorva Lakhia teams with screenwriters Suresh Nair and Sanjay Gupta to offer a harrowing account of the stand-off that found suburban Mumbai transformed into an urban war zone. The year is 1991, and as the summer sun shines down on the Lokhandwala Complex, five hardened thieves count their most recent take in flat 32B. The sum is substantial, yet this skilled team of extortionists led by criminal masterminds Maya and Dilip will never live to enjoy the fruits of their nefarious labor. Just outside, 286 heavily armed policemen await permission to open fire; when that permission is granted by renegade lawman ACP Khan, this history of this city will be changed in the time it takes to pull a trigger. Six hours later, when the smoke cleared on the massacre, the criminals who raised a red flag within Khan's newly formed ATS squad for daring to go against the most fearsome figures in the underworld would finally be off the streets - but at what cost? A hardened policeman who recruited only the most fearless lawmen to aid him in taking down ruthless Khalistini extremists, Khan would later be charged with multiple human rights violations for his reckless bravado in addition to becoming the subject of an inquisition from his own department. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, (more)
- 2007
A man in the autumn of his years finds love with a woman three decades his junior in this romantic comedy-drama. Buddha Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan) is a man in his mid-Sixties who has devoted his life to running the most celebrated Indian restaurant in London. Buddha puts his professional life before his personal needs, and has only two close companions -- his mother (Zohra Sehgal), who lives with him and still bosses him around, and a young girl (Swini Khara) who is suffering from a terminal illness. One evening at his restaurant, Buddha encounters a customer who has the nerve to send back a dish, saying it isn't spicy enough, and he meets Nina Verma (Tabu), an attractive and self-assured woman in her thirties who refuses to be intimidated by the restaurateur's reputation. While their first meeting is less than cheerful, fate keeps bringing Buddha and Tina together, and in time they realize they've fallen in love and decide to get married. When Tina learns her father Omprakash (Paresh Rawal) is in the hospital after a heart attack, she flies to India with her fiancé in tow; Buddha, who is several years older than Omprakash, tries to break the news of the coming nuptials to him by asking the father for Tina's hand in marriage. Buddha's respect for tradition leads to a difficult situation when Omprakash refuses to give permission for the May-December lovers to wed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, (more)
- 2006
Indian director Karan Johar's three-hour feature Never Say Goodbye (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna) utilizes and celebrates the common Bollywood practice of combining multiple genres and elements - comedy, drama, romance and flashy musical numbers - into one picture of epic length, to maximize cinema's capacity for entertainment. The story concerns two Manhattan couples. Soccer player Dev (Shah Rukh Khan) and his magazine editor wife, Rhea (Preity Zinta) are happily married despite occasional stress on the relationship; PR executive Rishi (Abhishek Bachan) and preschool teacher Maya (Rani Mukherji) feel their marriage strained by her inability to conceive. But the couples' worlds are turned upside down when Dev and Maya meet and fall hopelessly -- wondering how they ever lived without one another. Meanwhile, Dev's father Samarjit (Amitabh Bachchan) - who lives for pleasure and satisfaction at the expense of others' feelings - complicates matters by encouraging his son's new relationship. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, (more)
A woman is uncertain of what path to take when she loses the love of her life in this romantic drama from India. Avi (Salman Khan) is a bright and ambitious young man who, after completing his education in the United States, comes home to take his place in the successful business run by his father, Balraaj Kapoor (Amitabh Bachchan). Avi meets a beautiful young artist named Millie (Rani Mukherjee) and the two fall in love. They wed, give birth to a son, and are enjoying their lives with their new family when Avi is suddenly killed in an auto accident. Millie is emotionally shattered by Avi's death and she is uncertain about what to do next. Balraaj believes his daughter-in-law needs to remarry and start life over again; he knows that Millie's friend Rajat (John Abraham), a musician, has long had feelings for her, and he tries to bring the two of two of them together. But Millie must decide if she's ready for a new love while her life with Avi is still fresh in her mind. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, (more)
A pair of attractive small-town misfits become a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde team in this Bollywood blend of comedy, romance, action, and music. Rakesh (Abhishek Bachchan) is a small town schemer with big dreams; born and raised in Fursatganj, Rakesh is certain he's cut out for bigger and better things, and isn't above breaking the law to get what he wants. Vimmi (Rani Mukherjee) comes from a similarly stifling small town, Pankinagar, and thinks of herself as the most beautiful and exciting woman around. Sure she has a career as a model or actress ahead of her, Vimmi heads out for the big city, and along the way she meets Rakesh. Rakesh and Vimmi soon become friends and then lovers, but Rakesh's propensity for getting into trouble soon makes itself known, and before long the couple is wanted by the law. Nicknamed Bunty and Babli by the press, Rakesh and Vimmi are starting to gain the fame and wealth they've always wanted, but Dashrath Singh (Amitabh Bachchan), a ruthless cop with no sense of mercy, is following their path, determined to put them behind bars. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, (more)
A man finds it's harder than he expected to leave his life of violence behind him in this action drama from India. Suryaveer Singh (Amitabh Bachchan) was once an intelligence officer with India's military, but years of seeing people die in ugly ways has made him a bitter and profoundly unhappy man, and he leaves his career behind to drown his sorrows in alcoholic solitude. However, an old friend, Shekhar (Arjun Rampal), approaches him with a business opportunity -- he's opened a private security agency in Bangkok, and would like Suryaveer to take on a special assignment. Suryaveer agrees, but objects when he learns he's going to be a bodyguard for Anamika (Rucha Vaidya), an eight-year-old girl from a wealthy and powerful family. Suryaveer doesn't care for children and certainly doesn't want to look after one for a living, but before long he bonds with Anamika and his relationship with her helps to heal his emotional scars. But Suryaveer discovers that while he may be changing, the world around him hasn't when Anamika is kidnapped and he must tap into his violent nature to get her back. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amitabh Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, (more)
A woman must choose between the ethereal love of her ghostly seducer or a life with her uncaring husband in director Amol Palekar's supernatural romance. Beautiful Lachchi (Rani Mukherji) is engaged to a miserly man whose every move is driven by his insatiable love of money. When Lachchi's husband departs for a five year business trip on the night of their wedding, her supernatural admirer takes on his appearance and thus begins an elaborate ruse. All is well until Lachchi's husband returns home five years later, bewildering the villagers and forcing the confused wife to make the most difficult decision of her entire life. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, (more)
A grieving parent wants to clear the name of his son and see that the culprit gets his due in this drama from India. Vidhyadhar Patwardhan (Amitabh Bachchan) and his wife, Sumitra (Sharmila Tagore), are a pair of retirees in their sixties who often wish there was more excitement in their golden years, but are generally content with their lives. Vidhyadhar and Sumitra both dote on their son, Amar (John Abraham), who is in his early thirties, though his rowdy and impulsive nature often worries Sumitra. Amar has been living in England for several years, and when he returns for a visit, he has a surprise -- a fiancée (Anusha Dandekar). However, the happiness of his parents is short lived when Amar is killed when he happens upon a crime in progress on the street. Vidyadhar wants to see the men who killed his son brought to justice, but it soon becomes apparent this isn't going to be easy -- the defense attorney claims that Amar was a drug dealer and that his clients acted in self-defense, and his strategy is unexpectedly successful. Will Vidyadhar have to take the law into his own hands to avenge his son? ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
