Happy Birthday Amitabh Bachchan! A look at his top 10 commercial hits

Rishte mein toh hum tumhare baap hote hain, naam hai Shahenshah, goes a popular line from one of his movies and his baritone is unmistakable. No prizes for guess who it is. It is Amitabh Bachchan who is celebrating his 75th birthday today. The Padma Vibhushan awardee and Knight of the Legion of Honour winner, Bachchan remains the talk of tinsel town till date. Bachchan’s career has spanned more than four decades and he has appeared in almost 200 odd Indian films.

While fans still shake a leg to Bachchan’s hit songs through these forty years, some of his classic hits and recent releases remain the most watched movies of all times in Bollywood. Here is a walk-through of some of his best films that have left a mark in Bollywood and made the box-office happy through the years.

Sholay (1975)

One of the longest running films in Bollywood alongside being one of his most appreciated works this 1975 film took off at the box office only in its third week. Making close to Rs 35 crore at the box office, Sholay remains a favourite of Bachchan’s fans across the globe.

No hardcore fan can forget the now famous line from the movie: ‘Tumrahara naam kya hai basanti’. Let's not forget the party favourite dance number Mehebooba Mehebooba from the movie..

Coolie (1983)

Making close to Rs 13 crore, this early 80s movie crossed the Rs 10-crore mark at the box office.

Aakhree Raasta (1986)

The summer of 1986 saw Bachchan in a double role in Aakhree Raasta. Counted as among Bachchan’s finest movies, Aakhree Raasta saw him playing Inspector Vijay Sandaliya and David D'Costa romancing two leading ladies of that time Sridevi and Jayaprada. Having clocked close to Rs 13 crores at the box office Aakhree Raasta was a remake of Bharathiraja's 1984 Tamil film Oru Kaidhiyin Diary.

Hum 1991

Also starring a host of other fine actors like  Rajnikanth, Govinda, Kimi Katkar, Deepa Sahi, Shilpa Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa, Anupam Kher and Kader Khan, this 1991 film was one of the last movies Bachchan did before he announced a temporary retirement. Clocking close to Rs 9 crore, the movie also won Bachchan a Filmfare Best Actor Award.

Mohabbatein 2000

This YRF film Mohabbatein saw Bachchan as the strict headmaster of Gurukul. While the film made around Rs 40 crore at the box office the film also had super hit songs. Mohabbatein starred Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and a host of other actors like Jimmy Shergill, Uday Chopra, Jugal Hansraj, Shamita Shetty and others.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham 2001

Playing the arrogant rich businessman Bachchan stole hearts as the quintessential rich stubborn father Yashvardhan Raichand in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. The film was a super hit packed with romance, drama and music and clocked Rs 55 crore at the box office. Other lead actors in the film were Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor.

Baghban 2003

Paired alongside Hema Malini, Baghban made close to Rs 25 crore at the box office.

Bringing back the magic of a Amiatbh Bachchan and Hema Malini pair back to the screen the film was a family drama around Bachchan playing Raj Malhotra and his family.

Veer Zaara.

Bachchan has been as lucky while playing the actor’s father as he was while playing the hero in his younger days. Playing the ever supporting dad to Shahrukh Khan in this 2004 movie, Bachchan won hearts and the film raked in Rs 42 crore at the box office.

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna 2006

This film made a whooping Rs 70 crore at the box office. But Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna did not have Bachchan as the lead but both him and Kirron Kher played significant and pivotal roles in the film that also starred Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee.

Piku 2015

Playing the dear dad again as Bhashkor this time Deepika Padukone’s dad Bachchan’s Piku made close to Rs 79 crore at the box office and was not just a commercial hit but also critically acclaimed as it beautifully portrayed a father-daughter relationship and turned out to be a super hit in spite of not being one of the typical Bollywood masala flicks.

Pink 2016

Playing  Deepak who is a lawyer Bachchan’s strong dialogues and rich content were undoubtedly one of the most sensible films of 2016 that was critically acclaimed alongside making Rs 66 crore at the box office.