PIX: Fans celebrate Amitabh Bachchan's birthday

As Amitabh Bachchan turned 70 on October 11, his fans pulled out all stops to make the superstar's birthday a memorable one.

They thronged outside his residence, located in Juhu, the posh western Mumbai suburb, hoping to get a glimpse at their favourite actor and wish him.

The entrance to his bungalow, Jalsa, was adorned with garlands.

Hundreds of people from different walks of life, and from all parts of the country, gathered outside his house early in the morning.

Some fans were seen performing hawans (prayers) and distributing sweets on the occasion.

Other fans wore T-shirts flaunting photos of the veteran actor.

Many fans were chanting and singing names of his films strung into a song -- 'Saat Hindustani', un mein se ek 'Sharabi', jiska naam tha 'Anand', jo gaya 'Bombay to Goa' aur ban gaya 'Don' -- as an ode to his timeless stardom.

The fan frenzy is not limited to his birthday; it is a phenomenon that has lived on for decades now. Crowds gather outside Bachchan's home every Sunday for a glimpse of the star.
    
His following has only multiplied since the '6 pm wave-out' tradition that began many years ago.

When the megastar is in Mumbai and not filming, he steps out and waves to his screaming fans.

Amitabh later stepped out to wave to his fans, before he made his way to the Seven Hills hospital in surburban Andheri where he received a mobile diabetes testing unit (housed in a van) as his birthday present from the British Deputy High Commissioner.

The mobile unit has been named after Bachchan, who is the charity's international patron and has been instrumental in raising diabetes awareness in India.

Can you spot Raju Shrivastav, self-confessedly a huge Bachchan fan, in this photograph? Shrivastav, a popular comedian, has perfected the art of parodying Bachchan.