As Bollywood's beloved 'Big B,' Amitabh Bachchan, turns a year older today, it's time to immerse ourselves in the cinematic brilliance that has made him an iconic figure in Bollywood. His birthday is not just a celebration of his age but also of his timeless contributions to Indian cinema. His films serve as a fitting tribute to his versatility as an actor and his enduring charm. Here are five movies to honour Amitabh Bachchan's special day and relish the magic of his performances, available exclusively on ZEE5 Global.
Uunchai
Three retired friends go on a trek to the Everest Base Camp to fulfill their dying friend's last wish. What starts as an adventure soon turns into a personal journey of emotional enlightenment. In this poignant narrative that explores the depths of human connection and the transformative power of friendship and love, Big B delivers a heartfelt and emotionally resonant performance.
Jhund
Vijay Borade, a retired sports teacher, starts an NGO called Slum Soccer to help rehabilitate slum kids by turning them into football players. The film is based on the real-life of Vijay Barse. Amitabh Bachchan's portrayal of Vijay Borade is both inspiring and authentic, capturing the essence of a dedicated teacher who changes the lives of the downtrodden by sharing a common passion.
Coolie
Iqbal gets separated from his mother and brother and grows up to become a coolie. While fighting for the rights of the coolies, he crosses paths with the man responsible for his family's sufferings. Despite facing a personal tragedy during its production, Amitabh Bachchan's performance in Coolie remains iconic, as he delivers a powerful and action-packed portrayal of the fight for justice.
Don
Don, a gangster, dies during a police chase. Vijay, Don's lookalike, infiltrates his gang on DSP D'Silva's orders to gather information but a change of events lands him in trouble. The film is filled with suspense, action sequences, and intricate plot twists as it explores themes of mistaken identity, crime, and redemption. The success of Don also led to a sequel and a remake in later years. Effortlessly switching between the suave gangster and the innocent look-alike Vijay, Amitabh Bachchan has added depth and intrigue to the film's suspenseful narrative.
Deewaar
Deewaar is a 1975 Hindi action-drama film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor and Nirupa Roy. The film was a super hit and won 7 Filmfare awards. Deewaar is the story of a mother and her two sons, who make different choices in life. While the elder son Vijay joins the underworld, the younger brother Ravi becomes a police officer. As fate would have it, the brothers are pitted against each other. Can Ravi and his mother help Vijay to mend his ways? Big B’s performance in the film remains a standout, cementing his status as the ‘Angry Young Man’ of Indian cinema, and his portrayal of the conflicted character is both intense and memorable.
So, Kajol and Twinkle Khanna’s show, Two Much, is already near its fourth episode. And people keep asking: why do we love watching stars sit on sofas so much? It’s not the gossip. Not really. We’re not paying for the gossip. We’re paying for the glimpse. For the little wobble in a voice, a tiny apology, a family story you recognise. It’s why Simi’s white sofa mattered once, why Karan’s sofa rattled the tabloids, and why Kapil’s stage made everyone feel at home. The chat show isn’t dead. It just keeps changing clothes.
Why Indian audiences can’t stop watching chat shows from Simi Garewal to Karan Johar Instagram/karanjohar/primevideoin/ Youtube Screengrab
Remember the woman in white?
Simi Garewal brought quiet and intimacy. Her Rendezvous with Simi Garewal was all white sets and soft lights, and it felt almost like a church for confessions. She never went full interrogation mode with her guests. Instead, she’d just slowly unravel them, almost like magic. Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha, they all sat on that legendary white sofa, dropping their guard and letting something real slip out, something you’d never stumble across anywhere else. The whole thing was gentle, personal, and almost revolutionary.
Simi Garewal and her iconic white sofa changed the face of Indian talk showsYoutube Screengrab/SimiGarewalOfficial
Then along came Karan Johar
Let’s be honest, Karan Johar changed the game completely. Koffee with Karan was the polar opposite. Where Simi was a whisper, Karan was a roar. His rapid-fire round was a headline machine. Suddenly, it stopped being about struggles or emotions but opinions, little rivalries, and that full-on, shiny Bollywood chaos. He almost spun the film industry into a full-blown high school drama, and honestly? We loved it up.
Kapil Sharma rewired the format again and took the chat show, threw it in a blender with a comedy sketch, and created a monster hit. His genius was in creating a world or what we call his crazy “Shantivan Society” and making the celebrities enter his universe. Suddenly, Shah Rukh Khan was being teased by a fictional, grumpy neighbour and Ranbir Kapoor was taunted by a fictional disappointed ex-girlfriend. Stars were suddenly part of the spectacle, all halos tossed aside. It was chaotic, yes, but delightfully so. The sort of chaos that still passed the family-TV test. For once, these impossibly glamorous faces felt like old friends lounging in your living room.
Kajol and Twinkle’s Amazon show Two Much feels like friends talking to people in their circle, and that matters. What’s wild is, these folks aren’t the stiff, traditional hosts, they’re insiders. The fun ones. The ones who know every secret because, let’s be honest, they were there when the drama started. On a platform like Amazon, they don’t have to play for TRPs or stick to a strict clock. They can just… talk.
People want to peep behind the curtain. Even with Instagram and Reels, there’s value in a longer, live-feeling exchange. It’s maybe the nuance, like an awkward pause, a memory that makes a star human, or a silly joke that lands. OTT gives space for that. Celebs turned hosts, like Twinkle and Kajol in Two Much or peers like Rana Daggubati in Telugu with The Rana Daggubati Show, can ask differently; they make room for stories that feel earned, not engineered.
How have streaming and regional shows changed the game?
Streaming freed chat shows from TRP pressure and ad breaks. You get episodes that breathe. Even regional versions likeThe Rana Daggubati Show, or long-running local weekend programmes, prove this isn’t a Mumbai-only appetite. Viewers want local language and local memories, the same star-curiosity in Kannada, Telugu, or Tamil. That widens the talent pool and the tone.
From White Sofas to OTT Screens How Indian Talk Shows Keep Capturing HeartsiStock
Are shock moments over?
Not really. But people are getting sick of obvious bait. Recent launches lean into warmth and inside jokes rather than feeding headlines. White set, gold couch, or a stage full of noise, it doesn’t matter. You just want to sit there, listen, get pulled into their stories, like a campfire you can’t leave. We watch, just curious, hoping maybe these stars are a little like us. Or maybe we’re hoping we can borrow a bit of their sparkle.
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