LAHORE: Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan, the Allahabad-born Indian film industry icon, will turn 73 on Sunday (today).
Born on October 11, 1942, Amitabh has appeared in over 180 Indian movies since 1969 and had gone on to make his Hollywood debut in 2013 by playing the character of a non-Indian Jewish character, Meyer Wolfsheim, in a $105 million romantic drama film “The Great Gatsby,” which had earned in excess of over $350 million by end 2014.
Renowned American actor and film producer, Leonardo DiCaprio (film Titanic fame) has played the lead role of a millionaire Jay Gatsby in this movie.
Dubbed the second richest Indian actor after Shah Rukh Khan by “Forbes” magazine in 2015, Amitabh’s net worth has been calculated at $400 million by this globally-acknowledged American media house.
The June 29, 2015 edition of the “Forbes” had stated: “Bollywood stalwart Amitabh Bachchan has starred in more than 150 movies in his 50-year career. In our scoring period of June 2014 through June 2015, Bachchan pocketed an estimated $33.5 million before taxes and fees to rank at No. 71 on the Global Celebrity 100 List. He continues to earn top rupee for his roles in flicks such 2014’s “Bhoothnath Returns.” Bachchan bolsters his earnings as the longstanding host of India’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Kaun Banega Crorepati), which aired its eighth season in 2014.
The prestigious “Times of India” had reported: “Big B is a force to reckon with! The legendary actor who went through a slump when his production company ABCL had to start from scratch again.
Kaun Banega Crorepati came as blessing in disguise and ever since, there’s no looking back for the Shahenshah of Bollywood. One of the highest paid actors of Bollywood, Big B is much in demand when it comes to films, event launches and endorsements.
According to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, Amitabh
Bachchan makes Rs202.40 crore. He is also the most followed Indian celebrity on Twitter.” In June 2000, he became the first living Asian to have been modeled in wax at London’s Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
His statues were installed in New York in (2009), Hong Kong (2011), Bangkok (2011) and Washington DC (2012).