Raja Sen in Mumbai
He's been around forever, and he's never really been known for his dancing.
Amitabh Bachchan's often called a one-step dancer, with a simple step borrowed from Golden Age comedian Bhagwan Dada, and never given enough credit -- despite having some of the greatest music picturised on him.
Now, as he tries hard to make son Abhishek's Bol Bachchan look cool, here's a look at his 10 best dances:
Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai, Aks
We'd seen Bachchan move before, but this Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra film, where he played a younger criminal in an old cop's body, saw the Big B bust the moves like never before. This is Bachchan at his absolute coolest as a dancer.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Banda ye bindaas hai here!
Jumma chumma de de, Hum
Image: Kimi Katkar and Amitabh Bachchan in HumSure, we'd be hard-pressed to find another Kimi Katkar moment we can remember, but the startlet didn't matter as much as the leading man defying his age as he beerfully bellowed demands for a Friday kiss.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Jumma Chumma here!
Saara zamana haseenon ka deewana, Yaarana
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in YaaranaIt's campy, over-the-top and typically Bollywood, and yet this was much more Rishi Kapoor territory than Amitabh-land.
Bachchan brings the house down in this song -- and with Rishi's wife Neetu next to him, to boot.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Saara Zamana here!
Mere angane mein, Laawaris
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in LaawarisEasily coaxed out of screen vanity, Bachchan wore many a sari and made for an awful looking parade of transvestites in this insanely politically incorrect song, one he sang himself.
It's so, so wrong: but undeniably fun.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Mere angane mein here!
Pag ghungroo baandh, Namak Halaal
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in Namak HalaalBachchan chanelled the late great Peter Seller's antics in Blake Edwards' The Party for this shoe-seeking sequence in Namak Halaal, and did so with considerable aplomb.
Behind all the mockery is a nearly uncharacteristic grace.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Pag ghungroo bandh here!
Jahaan chaar yaar, Sharaabi
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in SharaabiClearly Prakash Mehra liked giving Bachchan a workout, and in this Sharaabi song Amitabh was in fine form.
Despite all the effete loose-limbedness of a very drunk man, Bachchan delivers a bonafide dance number.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Jahan chaar yaar here!
Tune abhi dekha nahin, Do Aur Do Paanch
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in Do Aur Do PaanchWhat would a list of dances be without a dance-off, and this fabulous game of oneupmanship between Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor ranks way up there.
There's some magic, some faux tapdancing, and much, much flair from the Big B.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Tune abhi dekha nahin here!
Khaike paan Benaras wala, Don
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in DonArguably Bachchan's most memorable song sequence, this one comes with Bachchan's character Vijay on the run after months of hiding his bumpkin roots to play Don.
A strong paan rejiggers back his riverside roots, however, and he dances with absolute abandon.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Khaike paan Benaras wala here!
Jahan teri ye nazar hai, Kaalia
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in KaaliaWith several swindlers vying for the big diamond-studded prize, Bachchan proves to be both fleet of foot and sharp of tongue as he mocks -- and wins -- with delicious ease.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on Jahan teri ye nazar hai here!
My name is Anthony Gonsalves, Amar Akbar Anthony
Image: Amitabh Bachchan in Amar Akbar AnthonyIt takes a lot for a man to climb out of an egg.
Wearing a top hat and tails. And a monocle.
Bachchan does all this, spouts some magnificent nonsense, and then gives us a song to remember forever. It isn't the words or the music, it's the man.
Watch Amitabh Bachchan dance on My name is Anthony Gonsalves here!
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