- Title: INDIA: Fans across India celebrate Amitabh Bachchan's 64th birthday
- Date: 13th October 2006
- Summary: KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (OCTOBER 11, 2006) (ANI) A MAN SINGING 'LONG LIVE AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AMIT JI' POSTER OF BACHCHAN, PEOPLE SINGING A SONG FROM HIS MOVIE 'DON' (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) PARTHA DAS, AMITABH BACHCHAN'S FAN, SAYING: "We are Amitabh's fans...just like he likes white shirts, I am wearing a white shirt, he always carries a pen...so I am also carrying a pen, he likes watches and has a collection of watches, so I also have a watch...he is a true son of the country...and people are dedicated and loyal to him."
- Embargoed: 28th October 2006 14:53
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA3BDX7ML2NSWKVITJUK9WRAA8O
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Bollywood's megastar Amitabh Bachchan's fans celebrated his 64th birthday on Wednesday (October 11), with great jubilation across the country.
In northern Allahabad, Bachchan's hometown, priests conducted a special prayer ceremony to ensure an auspicious beginning of his 65th year.
Fans in eastern Kolkata also paid their respects to the most popular star by cutting a cake and singing songs from Bachchan's films.
"We are Amitabh's fans...just like he likes white shirts, I am wearing a white shirt, he always carries a pen...so I am also carrying a pen, he likes watches and has a collection of watches, so I also have a watch...he is a true son of the country...and people are dedicated and loyal to him," said Partha Das, a fan.
In western Rajkot, Bachchan's look-alike celebrated the superstar's birthday by cutting a cake and giving a treat to the neighbourhood children.
"Amitabh Bachchan is my the source of my livelihood...I copy him and earn my living...every year I go to different places and celebrate his birthday...today I didn't even send my children to school...my wife and I and my children are celebrating it along with other children who live nearby," said Vinod, Amitabh Bachchan's look-alike.
Bachchan, who has acted in over 150 films, he was voted the millennium's greatest star of stage and screen in a BBC online poll three years ago, ahead of Hollywood icons including Lawrence Olivier, Humphrey Bogart and Charlie Chaplin. In July this year, he became the first Indian actor to be awarded an honorary doctorate from a British university in recognition of his contribution to cinema. Six years ago he also became the first Indian movie actor to be exhibited in wax at Madame Tussaud's museum in London.
Son of a Hindi poet, he quit his job as a Calcutta freight broker for films and made his name in the 1970s playing a "Dirty Harry"- style cop in the ground-breaking movie "Zanjeer".
His best-known film, "Sholay", ran in Bombay for seven years - turning him into an icon in India, much like Elvis Presley was in the West.
Bachchan careeer has seen the the actor take on a divers collection of roles including that of rebels, smugglers and vigilantes. He now plays more mature roles, many of which are specifically written for him.
At 64, retirment for the silver-bearded actor still looks a long way off as he still manages to attract and entertain movie fans of all ages. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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