Amitabh Bachchan Birthday: It's almost a meta experience of watching a hot-blooded Amitabh Bachchan in a cult classic like "Deewar" on big screen at a time when his latest film "Goodbye", which sees him in the role of a grieving patriarch, released just four days ago. Bachchan, who turned 80 on Tuesday, is an actor for all seasons and ages.
The cross-section of the audience that had turned up to see the popular crime drama, as part of the Amitabh Bachchan film festival to mark his 80th birthday, even left Munna K Pandey, a self-confessed Bachchan fan, amazed. "There were people of my parents' age who were walking with a stick. Next to me sat, people in their 30s to 40s, like me. There was also a pregnant woman in the audience. Two young men, who had managed to arrive right after completing their work shifts, were arguing with the theatre staff to let them sit with their laptops," Pandey told PTI.
Film Heritage Foundation in partnership with leading multiplex chain PVR Cinemas has organised the film festival in honour of Bachchan's 80th birthday, as a part of which 11 movies featuring the megastar are being screened in 18 cities across the country.
The four-day day event, titled 'Bachchan Back To The Beginning', opened on October 8 and closes on October 11, the star's birthday. While the tickets were priced at Rs 150 for the first three days and the day of his birthday at Rs 80, a festival movie pass at Rs 400 was brought out on the occasion to incentivise fans who wanted to enjoy all the movies. ALSO READ: Shah Rukh khan's quirky wish for Amitabh Bachchan is a fun video of 'ek dusre se karte hain pyaar'
Social media is flooded with videos showing fans clapping and cheering as the iconic scenes from the films play on the big screen. Take a look:
Referring to Bachchan's "Deewar" character of the brooding, angsty atheist Vijay, an audience member declared 'Vijay buddhah nahin ho sakta! (Vijay can't grow old!') as the octogenarian star appeared in a commercial during the interval. "When the film ended, people stood up to give a standing ovation with a round of applause as if they were watching a live play," he said. Also Read: Urvashi Rautela shares another cryptic post wearing sindoor, fans say 'Rishabh Pant nahi milega'
Other Bachchan films that were screened as part of the retrospective gala were: "Don", "Kaala Patthar", "Kaalia", "Kabhie Kabhie", "Namak Halaal", "Abhimaan", "Mili", "Satte Pe Satta", and "Chupke Chupke".
(With PTI Inputs)
