AMITABH BACHHAN
Nickname
Aby Baby
BIG B
Date of birth (location)
11 October 1942, Allahabad, India
Son of well known poet Harivansh Rai Bachan
and Teji Bachan. Married to Jaya Bachan, a well
known actress, he has two kids, Shweta and
Abhishek. His first movie was Saat Hindustani
(1969). He came to be known as "The Angry
Young Man" after his film Zanjeer (1973), which
made him a superstar. He also ran for seat in the
Congress from his hometown but had to leave
midterm because of controversies.
Address
Pratiksha, 10th Road
J.V.P.D. Scheme
Mumbai-400 049.
Tel.: 610-4137
Awards
1971
Best SupportingActor
Anand (1970)
1973
Best Supporting Actor
Namak Haram (1973)
1977
Best Actor
Amar Akbar Antony(1977)
1991
Best Actor
Hum (1991)
ABCL
ABCL - what does it do? What is it all about? The answer is very simple - anything
and everything to do with the entertainment business - for eg:- Make films, once you
make films you distribute them, you sell the music of the film, you manage the actor
who act in the films, and you have an event management group that could leverage on
the actor's brand equity as well. Then in related areas you get into television
production, as also in the lucrative area of selling commercial time on television.
In keeping with the vision the group moved fast, recruited 150 people, launched 15
films with cost per film ranging from Rs 3 to 8 crores, got distribution rights for
Bombay and Bandit Queen - both of which were successful at the box office - got into
music with Aby Baby, Diljale, Rakshak, Tere Mere Sapne etc, and ofcourse on the
event side the Miss World Pageant & and the BPL Dandia.
This rapid and ambitious growth however created a problem in the area of capital.
Two years ago, when ABCL made its private placement, the interest rates had been
moving up and the money market was turning illiquid. Despite Amitabh's impressive
presentations the bankers were not impressed and ABCL recieved less premium than
expected. But the company's ambitious young managers did not see to cut back on
their plans to suit the prevailing market condition. They went ahead full throttle.
The first year the company did achieve its target turnover of Rs 65 crore and made a
profit of 15 crores. But in the depressing market conditions, that growth was not
substantiated in the second year, as against target of 200 crores only 115 crores is
expected and profits are expected to be lower. Trouble started between Bachchan and
their professional managers when AB agreed to do stage shows in North America in
May and June this year. The professional managers became upset that the booking
were not done through ABCL. "We are the managers of his personality. If he signs
contracts outside the company that is against any standard business practice", says a
company source. Then the board of the company, comprises largely of Bachchan
friends like Chakor Doshi, Surinder Kapoor and others, backed the Bachchan strategy
of sealing back, while the professional managers held on to their position of expanding
and going. The impasse finally resulted in the CEO Sanjiv Gupta, putting in his papers
on 31 March.
Sanjiv Gupta
He was soon followed by Harish Chawla, general manager for film
distribution, Makrand Bhambrey, vice-president for television, Manohar
Arcot, general manager for HRD and S M Suku, vice-president for
marketing. The entire top team had been decimated.
However, the industry is optimistic about the future
of the company. "It will bounce back probably scaled down version is the quote of the
company. Bachchan has brought in an old friend and confidante, Gautam Berry to take
over the operation. Berry was responsible for the Bachchans making their successful
investment in IPCA laboratories. Berry with his no nonsense attitude and Amitabh with
his film Mrityudata together look forward for making ABCL a hit. He has adopted a
different kind of a campaign for this film by launching the first-ever interactive package
called "Mrityudaata Touch Screen - Game of Death".
All one has to do is touch the make-shift screen attached to the computer to be
involved in an ingenious "Game of Death" with the Bachchan himself. This package
would be installed at Eros Theatre in Mumbai for 10 days from April 25. The whole
idea was put forth by Raja Interactive - a Mumbai-based firm - to merchandise the film
through "Touch Screen" technology. Another publicity gimmick by the big B to be
a
contender in the rat race or is he having the honourable intention of making his fellow
desis computer literates is what everyone is thinking about. Come one more flop, and
that could well ring the curtain down on his one-stop shop.
1969
SAAT HINDUSTANI (intr.) Amitabh Bachchan
1971
ANAND Rajesh Khanna, Sumita
PARVAANA Navin Nischol, Yogita
PYAR KI KAHANI
1972
BANDHE HAATH
BANSI BIRJU
BOMBAY TO GOA Aruna Irani, Shatrughan
EK NAZAR
RAASTE KA PATHAR
SANJOG
1973
ABHIMAAN Asrani, Jaya Bhaduri
GEHRI CHAAL
NAMAK HARAAM Rajesh Khanna, Rekha
SAUDAGAR
ZANJEER
1974
BENAAM
KASAUTI Hema Malini, Pran
KUNWARA BAAP Mehmood, Bharati, Manorama (South)
MAJBOOR Pravin Babi, Pran
ROTI KAPDA AUR MAKAAN Shashi Kapoor, Manoj
1975
CHUPKE CHUPKE Dharmendra, Jaya Bhaduri
DEEWAR Shashi
HERA PHERI
MILI Ashok Kumar, Usha Kiran
SHOLAY Dharmendra (Veeru), Sanjeev Kumar (Thakur),
ZAMEER Saira Banu, Shammi
1976
DO ANJAANE Mithun
KABHI KABHI Rakhee, Shashi Kapoor
1977
ADAALAT Waheeda Rehman, Neetu
ALAAP Rekha, Chhaya Devi
AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY Vinod Khanna, Rishi
IMAAN DHARAM
KHOON PASINA
PARVARISH
1978
BESHARAM
DON Zeenat
GANGA KI SAUGANDH
KASME VAADE
MUQADDAR KA SIKANDER / MUKADD Rakhee, Vinod Khanna,
TRISHUL Rakhee, Sanjeev Kumar
1979
JURMANA Raakhee Gulzar,
Dr. KAALA PATTHAR Rakhee, Shashi Kapoor
MR. NATWARLAL Rekha
SUHAAG
1980
ADAALAT
ANUSANDHAN (BENGALI)
BARSAAT KI EK RAAT
DO AUR DO PANCH Shashi, Praveen
DOSTANA Shatrughan Sinha, Zeenat
PUKAAR
RAM BALRAM Zeenat SHAAN Sunil Dutt (special app.), Shashi Kapoor,
THE GREAT GAMBLER Zeenat Aman, Neetu
1981
CHASHM-E-BADDUR / CHASHME BUD Farooq Sheik, Rakesh Bedi,
KAALIA Asha Parekh, Parveen
LAWAARIS Rakhee, Zeenat Aman
MANZIL
NASEEB
NASTIK
1982
BEMISAAL Rakhee, Vinod Mehra
DESH PREMEE
KHUD DAAR Sanjeev Kumar, Vinod
NAMAK HALAAL Smita
SATTE PE SATTA Amitabh Bachchan (double role), Hema
SHAKTI Dilip Kumar, Smita Patil
SILSILA Shakti Kapoor, Jaya
YAARANA Neetu Singh, Tanuja
1983
ANDHAA KAANOON Rajnikant, Hema Malini
COOLIE Waheeda Rehman, Rishi
MAHAAN Amitabh Bachchan (triple role), Waheeda
1984
INQUILAB Sridevi,
PET PYAR AUR PAAP
SHARAABI Jaya Prada, Pran
1985
GIRAFTAAR / GERAFTAAR Kamal Hassan, Poonam Dhillon
MARD Amrita Singh, Nirupa Roy
1986
AAKHRI RAASTA Sridevi,
JALWA
1987
KAUN A KAUN HARA
1988
HERO HIRALAL (intr.) Sanjana
SHAHENSHA Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra
SOORMA BHOPALI
1989
GANGAA JAMUNAA SARASWATHI Mithun Chakraborty, Jaya
JAADUGAR Mithun Chakraborty, Jaya
TOOFAN
1990
AAJ KA ARJUN Jaya Prada, Raadhika
AGNEEPATH Mithun Chakraborty, Danny
KRODH
1991
AJOOBA Rishi Kapoor, Dimple
AKELA / AKAYLA Jackie Shroff, Amrita
HUM, Kimi Katkar, Rajnikant
INDRAJIT Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya
1992
KHUDA GAWAH Sridevi, Danny Denzongpa
1994
FARAAR Sanjeev Kumar, Sharmila Tagore,
INSANIYAT Anupam Kher, Prem
1997
MRITYUDAATA Dimple Kapadia, Arbaaz
1998
AYE WATAN TERE LIYE Dimple Kapadia, Arshad
BADE MIYAN CHHOTE MIYAN Govinda, Juhi Chawla
LAL BADSHAH Manisha Koirala, Shilpa
MAIN AZAAD HOON
MAJOR SAAB Nafisa Ali, Ajay Devgan
RISHTAA Aamir Khan, Madhuri