Amitabh Bachchan, the “Shahenshah” of Indian cinema, has enjoyed one of the most remarkable careers in Bollywood. Before becoming one of the industry’s biggest stars, the actor faced several doubts about his deep baritone voice, distinctive appearance, and tall frame.
The veteran actor recalled one such incident from the early years of his career on Kaun Banega Crorepati 18. Bachchan revealed that some producers felt his towering height and facial features could make it difficult for him to find leading actresses to work opposite him.
He was told, “No heroine would work with you” as he was “too tall” and that his face was too small in comparison to his body.
Amitabh Bachchan Recalls His Early Struggle Days
It all started after a contestant named Vinamra, whose grandfather was a film distributor, spoke about Bachchan’s signature hairstyle and long sideburns.
While the style became a nationwide trend during the 1970s, the megastar shared that there was a specific reason behind the hairstyle rather than a fashion choice.
Recalling his early days in the film industry, Bachchan said, “Sir, kya hain ki shuruvat mein jab hum filmo mein aaye toh kaam milne keliye toh producer doh cheez pe hume bolte the ki humari height lambi hai toh koi heroine kaam nahi karegi aur dusra ki humara chehra bohut chota hain. (When we first entered films, producers would tell us two things when we were looking for work: first, that we were too tall and no heroine would want to work with us; and second, that our face was too small.)”
“Toh kya hain usko bharne keliye humne humare baal badaye aur baal ko kaanpati tak ughaya jisse humara chehra bhar bhara lage (So, to make up for that, we grew our hair and let it grow down to our temples so that our face would look fuller),” he added.
Amitabh Bachchan’s Bollywood Career
Amitabh Bachchan stepped into the lights-camera-action world as a narrator in Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome in 1969 before making his acting debut in Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’ Saat Hindustani. The film did not perform well commercially, and its recognition did little to immediately change Bachchan’s fortune.
He didn’t stop. In the following years, he appeared in supporting and smaller roles, including Reshma Aur Shera, Parwana, Sanjog and Bansi Birju. Several of his films failed at the box office, and he was described as a “failed newcomer” during this phase of his career.
But his performances in Anand (1971) alongside Rajesh Khanna and Bombay To Goa (1972) helped establish him as an actor to watch.
The turning point came with Zanjeer in 1973. At a time when romantic heroes dominated Hindi cinema, Amitabh’s intense portrayal of Inspector Vijay Khanna offered audiences a different kind of protagonist. The film became a breakthrough and eventually gave him the iconic tag of Bollywood’s “Angry Young Man”.
What followed was a remarkable run of films, including Deewaar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Don, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Trishul. These films cemented Bachchan’s position as one of Indian cinema’s biggest stars during the 1970s and early 1980s.
Currently, Amitabh Bachchan is hosting KBC 18. He is also busy with filmmaker Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD sequel. Big B will reprise his role as Ashwatthama in the sequel. The film also stars Prabhas and Kamal Haasan in key roles.
Also Read: ‘You’re 24’: Ayushmann Khurrana’s Sweet Apology To Amitabh Bachchan For Calling Him ‘Budhau’
