Actor Dharmendra has undoubtedly several popular and successful films to his credit. But there is no denying the fact that he has also been one the most undervalued stars of Bollywood.
Dharmendra, who was attracted with movies right his early days, bagged the Filmfare new talent award and decided to come to Mumbai to get work. After appearing in a screen test, a screen director suggested him to ‘play’ and not act. However, producer Arjun Hingorani showed immense confidence in Dharmendra’s skills and decided to sign him for 1960 film Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. This kicked off his journey in multiple romantic black and white projects in the early 1960s. It was during this time that he did Phool Aur Patthar and gained huge stardom.
By the late 60s, Dharmendra started getting more films and eventually turned into a busy celebrity. While he was cast with Meena Kumari in films, Hrishikesh Mukherjee roped him in Anupama to exhibit his sensitive side.
Happy with the reactions that he received, Dharmendra was next seen in Satyakam (1969). By the commencement of 70s, Rajesh Khanna had also arrived. It is believed this was the reason for Dharmendra to opt for entertainers like Jeevan Mrityu (1970) and Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971). What followed next were his multiple projects opposite Hema Malini - Sharafat, Tum Haseen Main Jawan, Naya Zamana, Raja Rani, Seeta Aur Geeta, Jugnu and Dost. Agreed, Dharmendra proved his acting prowess with the kind of projects he did in his career. But going by the films he has been seen in the recent past, he could never re-invent himself like his Sholay co-star Amitabh Bachchan.
Amitabh Bachchan who gained huge admiration in the early 1970s as the Angry young man of Hindi cinema/Bollywood has done just about everything – something none of his contemporaries could. From being an incredible actor to a playback singer, film producer and television presenter, and an elected member of the Indian Parliament from 1984 to 1987 – there is nothing he hasn’t done so far. But his life was never as easy as one would imagine. He faced health issues in 1982 accident on the sets of Coolie. In 2000, he suffered financial crisis. But he used it as a catalyst to emerge a hero.
Amitabh Bachchan, even at the age of 74, is one of the most prominent names in Bollywood. The megastar, who entered the showbiz at the age of 27 with an image of an angry young man, intimidated even the biggest superstars in late 60s. The tall, handsome son of renowned poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan soon became a name to reckon with and in the subsequent years the patriarch of Bollywood.
Big B started his career in 1969 with Saat Hindustani and went on to become the most influential actors in the history of Indian Cinema. Even after a successful career spanning over 4 decades, the actor continues to stun the audience with formidable performances year after year. While most of the actors either retire or settle for supporting roles at the age of 74, Big B is rediscovering himself with fresh roles and innovative scripts every year.
Be it winning the hearts of the audience or National Awards for Best Actor, Big B is doing it all. The charisma and class apart act of the actor is commendable. Not only are his choices giving a new model of acting to younger actors, but are also paving way for more quality-driven cinema.
While actors at his age have settled to play fathers and grandfathers on screen, he is bending the rule book and carving his own definition of timeless acting.
Debraj Sahai, an alcoholic teacher for a blind, deaf and mute girl suffering from Alzheimer's, can easily be regarded as the best character portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black laid the foundation for choosing challenging roles for the actor. The brilliance with which he played the character made Debraj Sahni one of the most memorable characters in Big B's career. He also won much-deserved National Award for the film, second in his career.
Who would've thought that a 67-year-old seasoned actor could pull off child-like innocence of a 12 year so effortlessly? Playing a child suffering from rare genetic disorder, Progeria, Big B gave an award winning performance as Auro in R Balki's Paa. He was the star of the film and nailed the emotions of a lively 12-year-old boy winning accords from the audience as well as critics. The film also got him his third National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance and his fifth Filmfare Best Actor Award.
Another refreshing performance by Big B where he played a possessive, progressive father of a young, responsible woman. He played a father in a dysfunctional family with utmost reality. The slice of life family drama suited the larger than life image of Big B perfectly. Choosing a small budget film like Piku, with an unconventional storyline, proved that the actor was never afraid of taking any risks. The film also got him his fourth National Award for Best Actor.
Experimenting with thriller genre, Big B as John Biswas, gave an impactful performance alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The grieving grandfather seeking justice for his eight-year-old grandchild brought a different shade of Amitabh on screen. The never-give-up attitude and fighting spirit matched the real life persona of the actor. While the industry expects actors of his age to take up family drama and maybe a comedy at most, he opted for a thriller and aced it.
This year's one of the most talked about film, Pink, discussed patriarchy and woman empowerment in a very realistic, hard hitting way. While the film revolved around three girls getting prosecuted by the society, Big B as their lawyer, shed light on society's hypocrisy and slut shaming. Who better than the patriarch of Bollywood to give a message about woman empowerment? The film started the much-needed debate on society's perception of women and Big B was there to lead this new movement. Again it was a small budget, risky role but the actor didn't hesitate to experiment.
Big B is the perfect example of someone ageing gracefully, as a celebrity as well as an actor.
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