Top 5 Amitabh Bachchan Roles

Top 5 Amitabh Bachchan roles

No. 5. Bemisaal

This would not usually make it to the list of the legendary Amitabh performances. It is not even that well known a movie. Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, it portrays AB as a soulful pediatrician. In a tale of loyalty, sacrifice and revenge, AB has enough scope to portray his powerful suppressed rage, yet the parts that stand out for me are the flirtatious bits where he competes with his buddy Vinod Mehra to woo Rakhee and coldy seduces Sheetal to avenge his elder brother. (also played by AB)

No. 4. Deewar

Vijay in Deewar is perhaps the most analysed and dissected Indian movie character. I doubt I can add anything of importance to what has already been said. In the most taut and tense screenplay by Salim-Javed, AB is scorching, explosive and understated. Be it the famous “Uff tumhare adarsh, tumhare usool” scene or the explosive anger with which he grabs Sudhir all of a sudden, AB pulls off everything with aplomb.

No. 3. Don

In my perfect fantasy world, AB is Don, with a price on his head in eleven countries, jetsetting around in his Mercedes, sleeping with women and then using them as a bait to escape from the police and addressing the gentlemanly cop Iftekhar with the amused drawl “DSP” before flinging a suitcase in his face and blowing up everything. Don gives Amitabh his most stylish and cavalier role ever. The dialogues by Salim-Javed are an absolute gem, next only to Sholay. Midway, though the real Don dies, and his double Vijay steps in. Though I prefer the first half, the second half is more pacy and probably better cinema as a thriller, wherein the often at a loss, yet quick-witted double manfully tries to step into Don’s shoes. It is a very convincing performance and very soon, you set aside the disappointment of Don’s death and start rooting for his double.

No. 2. Mili

Mili stars AB as Shekhar Dayal, as the despondent, lonely, rich neighbor who screams at kids for making noise and cuts himself at random in bouts of depression. Hrishikesh Mukherjee was the first director to identify most of Amitabh’s talents; his long monologues and voice overs which became a regular feature in many of his later films, his gait, his repressed anger (Anand, and not Zanjeer was actually his first Angry Young Man role for me) and his flair for comedy. (Chupke Chupke) In Mili, he is at his handsome best and gives a restrained and gloomy performance as a man struggling against his background and seeking redemption in an ultimately ill-fated relationship.

No.1. Trishul

Trishul is the classic oedipal tale of love, resentment and revenge. AB, the illegitimate son comes to Delhi to avenge the treatment meted out to his poor, dead mother by his rich father who chose success over love. The entire film is bubbling with AB’s resentment, his dialogues with Sanjeev Kumar are laced with double meanings hinting at their past. He is willing to do anything to trouble his father; notable moments include trying to snitch away his half brother’s girl (Hema Malini at easily her prettiest), bribing and poaching his father’s employees and humiliating him publicly.