This weekend Amitabh Bachchan turns 78, and there's no better way for us to celebrate him than by going on a Bachchan binge. It's impossible to cram in his vast and varied body of work in 48 hours, so we've taken the liberty to curate a watchlist according to your mood. Yes, there's a Bachchan film for every mood. So if you want a laugh, or need a burst of energy, these are the films to turn to. Needless to say, there are many, many great films that don't find a mention here because there's only so much you can achieve over a weekend. But if you want to cover more Bachchan ground, here's a list of his 50 greatest moments on screen.
All these films are comedy gold and have aged wonderfully. Bachchan chasing a fly around a conference room in Namak Halaal or pretending to be a Botany professor to impress a girl in Chupke Chupke is stuff of genius and an ideal way to spend a joyous weekend.
Chupke Chupke (1975)
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Amar Akbar and Anthony (1977)
Streaming Platform: Netflix, Voot, YouTube, Google Play
Namak Halaal (1982)
Streaming Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play
When a towering Bachchan emphatically rails into the system with a passionate speech you can literally feel the adrenaline rush through your veins.
Zanjeer (1973)
Streaming Platform: YouTube
Deewaar (1975)
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime, Zee5, Voot, JioCinema, YouTube
Main Azad Hoon (1989)
Streaming Platform: SonyLiv, YouTube
Hum (1991)
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime, Disney+Hotstar, YouTube, Google Play
Watch these in chronology and admire Bachchan age like fine wine on screen. From a suited thug in the 70s to the stately Mr Raichand in K3G and a chef courting a much younger woman in Cheeni Kum, he's still got it.
Sholay (1975)
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play
Don (1978)
Streaming Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, MX Player
Silsila (1981)
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, SonyLiv
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
Streaming Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play
Cheeni Kum (2007)
Streaming Platform: Zee5