Amitabh Bachchan Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics

Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer, and former politician who has been cast in more than 200 movies and is considered as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema. Often credited as the Sadi ka Mahanayak (English: “Greatest actor of the century”), some of his notable roles came in movies such as Zanjeer, Deewaar, Sholay, Namak Haraam, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Don, Mr. Natwarlal, Satte Pe Satta, Andha Kanoon, Shahenshah, Agneepath, The Great Gatsby, Piku, Paa, and Black. With a career spanning over five decades, he was honored with Padma Shri in 1984 and Padma Vibhushan in 2015.

Born Name

Inquilaab Shrivastava

Nick Name

Big B, Munna, Angry Young Man, Bollywood’s Shahenshah, Amith, AB Sr., One Man Industry, Superstar of the Millenium, The Last Emperor, Sadi ka Mahanayak, Amit Ji

Sun Sign

Libra

Born Place

Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India)

Residence

He lives in his iconic bungalow Prateeksha in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Nationality

Education

Amitabh Bachchan attended Sherwood College, which is a co-educational school in Nainital. After completing his school education, he enrolled at the Kirori Mal College at the University of Delhi.

Occupation

Actor, Producer, Writer, Television Presenter, Occasional Playback Singer, Former Politician

Family

• Father – Harivansh Rai Bachchan (Poet and Writer) (Died in 2003)
• Mother – Teji Bachchan (Social Activist) (Died in 2007)
• Siblings – Ajitabh Bachchan (Younger Brother)
• Others – Pratap Narayan Shrivastav (Paternal Grandfather), Saraswati Devi (Paternal Grandmother), Khazan Singh Suri (Maternal Grandfather), Amar Kaur Sodhi (Maternal Grandmother)

Manager

Amitabh Bachchan can be reached through his production company, AB Corp Ltd.

Build

Slim

Height

6 ft 1.5 in or 187 cm

Weight

80 kg or 176 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Amitabh Bachchan has dated –

1. Parveen Babi – Amitabh worked with actress Parveen Babi in more than half-a-dozen movies. While working together in the seventies, he started going out with her. When the media began writing about their affair, Amitabh dumped her as he was already married. However, their affair took a bizarre turn when she accused him of being an international gangster. In her interview with a film magazine, she claimed that Amitabh had planned to kidnap her and take her to a deserted island, where his minions would get her plastic surgery done and insert a microchip behind her ear. She also claimed that he wouldn’t even mind getting her killed. However, it seems Amitabh didn’t get offended with these slightly unhinged allegations as he penned a beautiful tribute to his former co-star when she passed away in January 2005.
2. Rekha – Amitabh’s infamous affair with actress Rekha started on the sets of the film Do Anjaane in 1976. Amitabh was already a married man so they kept their relationship a secret. And, for the sake of secrecy, they used to meet often at the bungalow owned by Rekha’s friend. They managed to keep their affair a secret for two years until the shooting of Ganga Ki Saugandh. During the shooting of this movie, Bachchan lost his temper at a co-star who was harassing Rekha. Soon the affair was splashed across gossip sections. Their affair was even confirmed by Yash Chopra. Chopra had directed the movie Silsila, with Amitabh’s wife being cast alongside Rekha and Amitabh himself. Before long, it was speculated that they had gotten married. And, Rekha certainly encouraged such rumors when she arrived at Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh‘s wedding, wearing a mangal sutra and sindoor. In her 1984 interview with Filmfare magazine, she spoke candidly about their affair and claimed that Bachchan was denying their relationship because he was old-fashioned and wanted to protect his family and public image. Their relationship started to fade after Silsila as she wanted to get married and no longer wished to be the other woman. However, Amitabh was in no mood to leave his wife, who was equally resolute about saving her marriage.
3. Jaya Bhaduri (1973-Present) – Amitabh and his wife Jaya first saw each other in early 1970 at the Pune Film Institute. Sometime later, he saw her picture on the cover of an unidentified magazine and realized that Jaya had all the features of his dream woman – she had the perfect balance of traditional values and modern outlook. They met each other again on the sets of the movie, Guddi, in which she was playing the lead role, while Amitabh was set to make a guest appearance. Soon after she developed feelings for him and while working in the movie, Ek Nazar, he realized that he also felt the same way. Before the release of the movie, Zanjeer, they had made a pact that if the movie became a hit, they would travel to London together. However, his parents weren’t willing to give their permission for him to travel to a foreign country with a girl, who wasn’t his wife. He realized that it was the right time to get married and so, they tied the knot in June 1973. It was a low-key ceremony, attended by a few family members and a couple of friends. They are parents to Shweta Bachchan-Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan.

Race / Ethnicity

Asian (Indian)

On his father’s side, he is of Awadhi descent. While he has Khatri-Kshatriya Punjabi Sikh ancestry on his mother’s side.

Hair Color

Salt and pepper

Eye Color

Dark Brown

Sexual Orientation

Straight

Distinctive Features

• Tall and lanky body
• Baritone voice

Brand Endorsements

Amitabh Bachchan has done brand endorsement work for the following brands –

• Pepsi (2005) (2009)
• Dabur Chyawanprash (2007)
• Parker Pen (2003)
• Incredible India campaign by the Gujarat Tourism Corporation (2012)
• Kalyan Jewelers (2013)
• ABP News (2013)
• ICICI Bank (2013)
• Complan (Takat Ka Bhoot) (2014)
• Daawat Basmati Rice (2013)
• Tuberculosis Eradication and Awareness Campaign (2014)
• BoroPlus Antiseptic Cream (2015)
• TVS Jupiter (2015)
• Dr. Fixit (2016)
• Parle Biscuits (2013)
• Cadbury Dairy Milk (2004)
• Maggi Noodles (2015)
• Tanishq (2011)
• Emami Navratna (2017)
• IDFC First Bank
• Crypto exchange CoinDCX (2021)

Religion

Hinduism

Best Known For

• Being one of the most influential and successful actors in the Indian film industry since independence.
• Hosting the popular TV show, Kaun Banega Crorepati, which is an Indian version of the popular game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
• Having played the leading role in some of the biggest cult movies such as Deewaar, and Zanjeer.

First Film

He made his theatrical film debut in 1969 as the leading role in an action movie, Saat Hindustani. He went on to win the National Film Award for Best Newcomer for his performance in the movie.

He made his Hollywood theatrical debut in the Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer period drama, The Great Gatsby, which was released in 2013.

First TV Show

In 2000, Bachchan made his first TV show appearance as the host of the popular game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Personal Trainer

Amitabh doesn’t allow his advanced age to stop him from hitting the gym regularly. He makes it a point to work out every day even when he has a busy schedule and has to travel. He believes that his daily workouts give him an additional boost of energy to accomplish his work commitments.

Amitabh Bachchan Favorite Things

• Food – Bhindi ki Sabzi
• Screen Name – Vijay
• Actor – Dilip Kumar
• Actress – Waheeda Rehman

Source – Spoon University, IMDb

Amitabh Bachchan Facts

1. He served as one of the judges for the Miss World pageant held in November 1995 in Sun City, South Africa. The winner of the competition was Jacqueline Aguilera of Venezuela, and she was incidentally crowned by Aishwarya Rai, who would eventually become his daughter-in-law.
2. While shooting for the movie, Coolie, he suffered a life-threatening injury after he was hit in the stomach during a fight scene. He had to undergo an emergency splenectomy and remained close to death for several months in the hospital.
3. Originally, his character would have been killed off at the end of Coolie. However, the movie director changed the script as he felt killing his character after such a serious accident would have been inappropriate.
4. Before starting his acting career, he used to work as a freight company executive in Calcutta. He had also worked as a radio announcer for quite some time.
5. When he was trying to get a break in the film industry, he was told to soften his signature baritone voice. However, his deep rich voice turned out to be a key asset in his ascent to stardom.
6. He holds the distinction of being the first Asian actor to have his wax statue installed at the iconic Madame Tussaud’s in London, England.
7. In the poll conducted by BBC News, he managed to overcome competition from legendary actors such as Charles Chaplin, Sir Laurence Olivier, and Marlon Brando to win the title of Actor of the Millennium.
8. His father had initially named him Inquilaab, inspired by the popular slogan Inquilab Zindabad, which translates to Long live the revolution. However, his friend and fellow poet Sumitranandan Pant convinced him to change the boy’s name to Amitabh.
9. In 1996, he established Amitabh Bachchan Corporation, Ltd. (ABCL), which aimed to work in production, distribution as well as all other aspects of the entertainment industry.
10. However, ABCL was a monumental failure and in 1999, the Bombay High Court had issued a restraining order against the sale of his bungalow Prateeksha and two other flats, till Canara bank had recovered their loans.
11. He suffers from a rare muscular condition known as myasthenia gravis, which causes weakness in the skeletal muscles. He also suffers from asthma and vitiligo.
12. He stays away from any form of alcohol. He also follows a completely vegetarian diet.
13. He was approached by director and producer Feroz Khan to play the lead role of  Amar in the action drama movie, Qurbani. However, Amitabh couldn’t find the dates for the shooting schedule of the movie.
14. He holds the distinction of being the first artist to have bagged 39 nominations in the major acting category at the Filmfare Awards. He has also bagged nominations for best playback singer (Mr. Natwarlal) and producer for best film (Paa).
15. After Dilip Kumar, he is the second actor in the Indian film industry to have topped Box Office India Top Actors rankings for 16 consecutive years. Dilip Kumar reigned supreme from 1948 to 1963, while Bachchan was a top star from 1976 to 1991.
16. In 2007, the Government of France awarded him their country’s highest civilian honor, Knight of the Legion of Honour, in recognition of his achievements in cinema.
17. He was offered the role of ACP Mahendra Ashwini Kumar in the movie Yalgar by the movie’s producer, director, and lead actor Feroz Khan. However, Amitabh wasn’t prepared to play Khan’s father in the movie and the role eventually went to Mukesh Khanna.
18. In 2002, he was appointed as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the Polio Eradication Campaign.
19. Bachchan was made an ambassador for the Save Our Tigers campaign, which aimed to promote the importance of tiger conservation in India.
20. In 2013, he acquired a 10% stake in Just Dial. Within a couple of years, the value of his investment in the company increased by 4600 percent.
21. In 2003, in recognition of his achievements as an actor, he was awarded the Honorary Citizenship of the French town of Deauville.
22. In 2012, PETA India declared him as the Hottest Vegetarian of the year. He was even declared Asia’s Sexiest Vegetarian as part of the online poll held by PETA Asia.
23. In 2002, he published his autobiographical book, Soul Curry For You and Me – An Empowering Philosophy That Can Enrich Your Life.
24. He has been honored with honorary doctorate degrees from several prestigious universities including the University of Delhi, Leeds Metropolitan University in Yorkshire, the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, and the Academy of Arts (Egypt) in Cairo.
25. In 2019, he was honored with Dadasaheb Phalke Award by the Government of India.
26. There is a temple dedicated to him in Kolkata. His photo is placed in the temple, instead of an idol’s, along with the white shoes he wore in the movie Agneepath. Jai Shri Amitabh has been inscribed on the tiles of the temple.
27. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he was tested positive for the virus alongside his son Abhishek Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and granddaughter Aaradhya.
28. He was friends with the late politician Rajiv Gandhi who served as the 6th Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989.
29. Globally, he was the 3rd most-searched actor of 2020 on Google.
30. In March 2021, he received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In May 2021, he received the 2nd dose of the vaccine.
31. In May 2021, in light of COVID-19, Amitabh Bachchan donated INR 20 million (or 2 crores) to Rakab Ganj Gurdwara, Delhi which was scheduled to open on May 10, 2021.
32. On December 31, 2020, he had purchased a luxury duplex flat, on the 27th and 28th floors having a 5,704.227 sq ft area, for Rs 31 crore at a highrise in the Oshiwara neighborhood in Mumbai. He, however, had registered the flat in April 2021 by paying 2% stamp duty (62 lakh).
33. In August 2021, it was announced that Amitabh would launch his own NFT collection in November 2021 on BeyondLife.club.
34. In October 2021, Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan leased a 3,150 sq ft property in Juhu, Mumbai to the State Bank of India (SBI) for 18.9 lakhs per month for 15 years. As per their agreement, the rent would be increased by 25% every 5 years.
35. In October 2021, Amitabh disassociated himself from the advertising of the Kamala Pasand Pan Masala. He wasn’t aware that it fell under surrogate advertising. Amitabh was also requested by an anti-tobacco organization to withdraw himself. As a result, he returned his fees after ending the contract.
36. In December 2021, Amitabh rented his duplex apartment in Mumbai to actress Kriti Sanon for 2 years for INR 10 lakhs per month. He had purchased this 5184 sq ft property in December 2020 for INR 31 crore which has 4 car parking lots.
37. In December 2021, Amitabh had sold his 418.05 square meters, Delhi-based family home (where his late parents Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan used to reside) named Sopaan in Gulmohar Park for INR 23 crores to the CEO of Nezone group of companies, Avni Bader.
38. In 2015, Amitabh and his son Abhishek had invested $250,000 (or INR 1.6 crore) in a Singapore-based company called Meridian Tech Pte which they turned that money to $17.5 million (or INR 112 crore) in just two and a half years. The company was founded by Venkata Srinivas Meenavalli.
39. In August 2022, Bachchan was tested positive for COVID-19. This was the second time he caught the coronavirus. At that time, he was also shooting for Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) which had to be halted for some days.
40. In October 2022, Amitabh revealed that he had to be taken to the hospital after he cut the vein on his left leg’s calf area on the set of KBC season 14 which happened due to a protruding metal piece. He received stitches to control the bleeding.
41. In January 2023, Big B apologized for numbering the tweets wrong on his Twitter. He has a habit of numbering his tweets with the prefix ‘T’ followed by a serial number.
42. In March 2023, Amitabh injured his ribs on the set of Project K while he was shooting for the film in Hyderabad. He said that his rib cartilage broke and a muscle tear around the right ribcage happened. Hence, he had to rest at home with a strapped chest.
43. In March 2023, Big B gifted his vintage jacket which he had worn in the film Shahenshah (1988) to a friend in Saudi Arabia.
44. In the ’90s, Amitabh was robbed of his briefcase in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. in the hotel lobby which contained his documents, passport, and some money also. Those guys had first splashed paint on him.
45. In October 2023, he was involved in a controversy after he said in an advertisement for Flipart that “you won’t find this deal in retail stores.”
46. In November 2023, Amitabh gifted his lavish bungalow, “Pratiksha”, worth over ₹50.63 crores to his daughter Shweta Nanda Bachchan.
47. In December 2023, Amitabh bought the Mumbai team in the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL).
48. In December 2023, he rented out his office space of 4 units for ₹2.07 crore per year. He had purchased this space in August 2023 at Lotus Signature in Mumbai’s Oshiwara area for ₹28.72 crore (₹7.18 crore for 1 unit) which is around 10,000 sq ft (combined space of 4 units).
49. In January 2024, it was reported that he purchased a plot (10,000 sqft) in a 7-star mixed-use enclave in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh before the inauguration of the Ram Temple. At that time, the plot was valued at INR 14.5 crore and is situated just 15 minutes away from the famous Ram Temple.
50. According to the election affidavit which was submitted by his politician wife Jaya Bachchan in February 2024, his assets were worth ₹273 crore for the financial year 2022-23. Moreover, his bank balance was at ₹120 crore.
51. In March 2024, fake news appeared that he underwent an angioplasty at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai.

Featured Image by TeachAIDS / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0