We have all come across such movies that create a great impact on us. There are some movies done by Big B which has created a great impression on the audience . We will look forward at 7 such movies where Big B went of his comfort zone and took risk.
1] Aks (2001)
Never did we think we will ever see Big B in a negative role and here he comes in Aks experimenting and taking risk on the reputation he had created among the audience. This was a remake of Face Off, this movie tried to grapple with the thin line between good and evil. The movie marked Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s debut as a director and had Bachchan matching acting chops with Manoj Bajpayee.
2] Boom (2003)
It was aimed to be an out-of-the-box movie that was over-the-top. Unfortunately, it went a bit too far and went on to become a disaster that none of its actors including Katrina Kaif, who made her debut with it would want to remember. The movie saw Bachchan playing an eccentric don, who was dressed in white from head-to-toe.
3] Nishabd (2007)
We stay in a country where such movies are not easily accepted by the society then too Big B took the risk and acted boldly in this movie. Since the Ram Gopal Varma-Amitabh Bachchan combination had worked well in Sarkar, people expected a lot from this movie. A few feathers were ruffled when people realised that this was an adaptation of sorts of Lolita that saw a man leading his daughter into having a relationship.
4] Cheeni Kum (2007)
Cheeni Kum has Bachchan playing 64-year-old Buddhadev Gupta, a celebrated chef, who falls in love with 34-year-old Nina (Tabu). He happens to be older than his girlfriend’s father and that causes friction. The movie also focussed on Bachchan’s relationship with his nine-year-old neighbour Swini, who suffers from cancer.
5] Paa (2009)
This was the movie which was loved and appreciated by everyone. In this Big B played a a boy who has a rare genetic condition known as progeria, while Abhishek was his father who doesnt know of his existence and Vidya Balan played his doting mother. The film, directed by R Balki, was loved by critics and audience alike and won Bachchan his third national Award as the Best Actor.
6] Piku (2015)
Piku saw Bachchan playing father to Deepika Padukone, who had a lot of trouble with his inconsistent, irregular bowel movements. A Shootjit Sircar film, the movie drew out the comedy that we fail to see in the routine of daily life. Bachchan’s brilliant performance won him his fourth National Award this time around.
7] Pink (2016)
This was Bachchan’s last movie outing. Bachchan starred as the fierce, bipolar lawyer Deepak Sehgal, who takes a stand for three women who are wrongly accused by powerful people. The movie was loved by the audience and proved that content-oriented films will always work at the box office.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.