|
An
excerpt from Rachel Dwyer's book"Indian Cinema:
The Visual Culture of Hindi Film"
"The major star of Hindi cinema is undoubtedly
Amitabh Bachchan, who, although one of the most famous men in
the world and a major international icon, is hardly known in
Europe and North America outside the South Asian communities.
He emerged as India's undisputed top star from the early 1970s,
subsequently winning popularity polls as the star of the year,
even in years when he did not have a film released. Born into
an elite family and a childhood friend of the Nehru-Gandhis,
Amitabh's first major successes were in middle-class cinema
where he established himself as a fine actor. His greatest role
was one he played in many films of the 1970s, that of the angry
young man or 'industrial hero', introducing a new physically
and style to Hindi cinema, using his tall, long-limbed body
and deep voice to great effect. A typical version of his role
appears in "Deewaar ("the Wall", directed by
Yash Chopra, 1975) When Vijay (Amitabh) is a child his family
is wronged by society and, after the father deserts them, they
come to the city. As an outsider he finds that he can support
his mother and educate his younger brother by taking to crime.
When they discover the source of his money, they argue that
he must uphold the law, embodied in the film by his younger
brother, now a policeman, who ultimately has to kill him in
a shoot-out. Vijay dies in his mother's arms in front of a temple.
Clearly this character has the makings of a folk hero,
supporting traditional values relating to religion and , in
particular, to the family. Often an orphan, he criticizes the
'system' or the state, fighting for righteous causes from outside
its sphere of operation. There is no doubt that he is on the
side of Right, but these values conflict with those of the state
and to resolve these he has to die, adding martyrdom to his
cause... "
|
Amitabh from "Muqaddar
Ka Sikandar"
(one of Bachchan's classic
'angry young man' roles)
|
