'Actor' Big B turns 40

Intriguing, right? Yet it is true! It is not actually Big B who has turned 40; it is his acting career (the 'actor' in Big B) that�turned 40 on February 15th. On receiving the Stardust Best Actor Award for The Last Lear, the actor fondly remembered that his film career turned forty on that very day; February 15th, 1969 was the day he signed the contract for his first film.

An elated Big B, while reminiscing on his celluloid journey, said that he is blessed and privileged to have had such a successful career in Bollywood for four decades. Remarking about the award, Amitabh said that he was happy that an off-the-beaten-track film like The Last Lear was recognized in the award ceremony. He expressed his gratitude to the producers and the director of the film for trusting him and selecting him for the role.

The Last Lear is a film of the Indian-English genre with Amitabh in the lead role. The flick has attracted a lot of international attention, thanks to the meaningful storyline and Big B's ace performance. Recently, the movie was screened at the Salon Du Cinema in Paris where a retrospective of Amitabh Bachchan's movies were showcased,�with The Last Lear as the opening film. The movie received a standing ovation from the French artists, with many applauding Bachchan's poignant and versatile style.

Four decades of filmdom, a loving Padma Shri wife (Jaya Bachchan), an established actor-son (Abhishek Bachchan), a world-trotting Former Miss World cum actress-bahu (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan)�– Amitabh has indeed had a rare and splendid film journey throughout these 40 years. His hair may have turned grey and that heroic charm may have faded�from his face, but his ardent zest and unflinching passion for cinema has certainly not waned. The honours and awards he receives are testimony to the love and dedication he retains for his art. Indeed, he still reigns as the 'Shahenshah' of Bollywood.

Galatta.com congratulates Big B on his four decades of stardom and wishes him all success in the years to come!