Amitabh Bachchan celebrates 52 years in Hindi film industry

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Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Monday clocked 52 years of signing his first film, "Saat Hindustani", and expressed gratitude to his fans for showering him with their love and blessings. The 78-year-old screen icon began his career with filmmaker Khwaja Ahmad Abbas' action-drama, which he signed on February 15, 1969. The film released nine months later, on November 7. Sharing a collage of his pictures, made by a fan , depicting his transformation during the past five decades, Bachchan wrote on Twitter, "It was today that I entered the film industry. February 15, 1969. 52 years! Gratitude."

The actor also took to his blog and thanked his fans for making his cinematic journey memorable. Bachchan said had it not been for his "extended family", the milestone would have been "just another day." "A chapter that the very effective concerned and loving EF (extended family) remember and portray through their wishes and communications and artistic representations.

"It is most alluring to see and hear and read what they gift. Had they not it would have been just another day. One that was spent in the struggle of life," he wrote.

Post his debut, though Bachchan was praised for his performances in films like "Anand" (1971) and 1972 comedy "Bombay To Goa", his true rise to stardom happened with Prakash Mehra's "Zanjeer" in 1973.

The film marked the beginning of the ''angry young man'' persona that became Bachchan's screen identity and a lifelong adjective, reflecting the angst of the urban Indian youth tackling unemployment, corruption and crime. He continued to appear in films of diverse genres- from the 1975 actioner "Sholay", romantic-drama "Kabhie Kabhie", thriller "Don", drama/comedy "Amar Akbar Anthony" to middle-of-the-road films with Hrishikesh Mukherjee like "Abhimaan", "Mili", and "Namak Haram".

After a dull phase in the '90s—where he battled financial losses through his company Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL)—the actor had a turnaround with frequent collaborator Yash Chopra's production "Mohabbatein" in 2000.

The same year, he turned to the small screen with the game show "Kaun Banega Crorepati", giving his second innings a further push.

Bachchan, who is still associated with the show as host, wrapped up the 12th season last month.

The actor continues to be one of the busiest stars even today with at least four films lined up for release in near future -- Karan Johar backed "Brahmastra", Ajay Devgn's "Mayday", filmmaker Nagraj Manjule's "Jhund" and thriller "Chehre".

His last release was Shoojit Sircar's "Gulabo Sitabo", that premiered on Amazon Prime Video due to the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown.