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The 70 Best Films Of Amitabh Bachchan -- Part III

Here's presenting the third installment in our ongoing series, marking the Bollywood icon's 70th birthday on October 11.

Read the first and second parts!

Silsila (1981)

Yash Chopra pulled off the greatest casting coup of his career by convincing Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan along with Rekha to star together at the height of their alleged link-up in a script about extramarital affairs.

Despite the curiosity factor, dazzling visuals of Holland and Shiv-Hari's dulcet compositions, Silsila wasn't a roaring success.

Kaalia (1981)

Big B means business in his engrossing transformation from bumpkin Kallu to thief Kaalia in Tinnu Anand's fun-package of knockout punch lines and RD Burman's snazzy soundtrack.

Namak Halaal (1982)

There's no shortage of entertainment in this Prakash Mehra dramedy starring AB as the naive, dadoo-loving villager Arjun Singh and his oddball experiences after he's appointed the concierge of a five-star hotel in the city and later 'maalik' Shashi Kapoor's fiercely loyal bodyguard.

 

Khud-Daar (1982)

In spite of a fairly cliched plot about two brothers, Bachchan's antics, glorious chemistry with Parveen Babi and Vinod Mehra and a knack for dictating the viewer's emotions ensure Khud-Daar is a merry experience all through.

Satte Pe Satta (1982)

Though Satte Pe Satta takes some inspiration from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Big B (in an interesting double role) and his band of unkempt siblings who straighten their act for the sake of love, invest a lot more spontaneity and snazz to add to its repeat value.

Shakti (1982)

It's always a matter of great excitement when Bollywood's two major stars share screen space.

In Ramesh Sippy's Shakti, Dilip Kumar and Bachchan team up for the first time to play a troubled father-son pair on either side of the law with dramatic intensity.

Bemisal (1982)

After working on Hrishikesh Mukerjee's Jurmana, the troika of AB, Raakhee and Vinod Mehra got together in another tender tale of friendship and sacrifice for the still charming Bemisal.

Mahaan (1983)

Not just happy doing double roles, AB signed up for a triple role wherein he plays both the father and his twin sons in this mixed bag of drama, comedy, romance and action.

Coolie (1983)

As the 'saari duniya ka bojh' bearing Coolie in Manmohan Desai's over-the-top entertainer of the same name, AB was compelling as usual.

It's also on the sets of this film that the actor, while shooting an action scene with Puneet Issar, had a terrible, near-fatal accident.

Sharaabi (1984)

Loosely inspired by Hollywood's Arthur, Big B's drunken act in and as Sharaabi triggered by an apathetic relationship with his money-minded father is best known for its blend of humour, sentiment and a sizzling soundtrack by Bappi Lahiri.

Mard (1985)

Only a megastar of Amitabh Bachchan's stature could have pulled off the corny exaggerations and sexist fervor of the part-jingoistic, part-masala, part-Taming of the Shrew called Mard.

 

Aakhree Raasta (1986)

Though he's playing both the father and son, Bachchan steals the scene and thunder as the retribution seeking elderly guy avenging his dead wife with his unique techniques to bump off the offenders and an overwhelming performance.

 

Shahenshah (1988)

Playing the vigilante in a grayish wig and black leather suit with a heavily chained arm isn't exactly superhero material.

But once AB declares who's the baap, there's no scope to nitpick in this unabashed masala called Shahenshah.

 

Main Azaad Hoon (1989)

Though surprisingly undervalued, Tinnu Anand's hard-hitting Main Azaad Hoon inspired by Frank Capra's Meet John Doe is a rather fine film about an unemployed man volunteering to become the face of socio-political revolution and in the process discovering some bitter reality.

Agneepath (1990)

In Mukul Anand's Agneepath, Bachchan's towering persona boosts Vijay Dinanath Chavan and his constant quest to avenge his father and retrieve his native town of Mandwa in a starker, slyer avatar.

Hum (1991)

Whether he's essaying the feisty, factory worker Tiger or the calm, family man Shekhar, Bachchan does a great balancing act as a man with many faces in the super-hit Hum co-starring Rajnikanth and Govinda.

 

Khuda Gawah (1993)

Following Agneepath and Hum, Mukul Anand and Big B collaborated once again with an exquisite Sridevi in tow to produce epic results in the grand Afghanistan-India story about love, friendship and faith.

Major Saab (1998)

After a disastrous comeback in Mrityudaata, Big B redeemed himself to a good extent as the softhearted but stern looking army man trying to get a wayward cadet (Ajay Devgn) on track in his home production, Major Saab.

Mohabbatein (2000)

The prospect of seeing a faceoff between the 'Shahenshah' and 'Baadshah' in Aditya Chopra's second release after the blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was suitably played up by the media.

Turns out their idealogical conflict in a movie that introduced half a dozen newcomers was quite easily the best thing about this schmaltz.

Aks (2001)

With Rakesh Mehra's dark and adventurous thriller about soul-swapping starring a deliciously evil AB, the superstar began a new, exciting phase in his career exhibiting a willingness for offbeat roles and experimental scripts.