The big man of Bollywood, Big B today celebrates his 70th birthday. The day marks a big day for the industry to have witnessed such a big star and a gentleman and also their fans for their undying craze for the megastar even after sidelining from stardom in the movies.

Amitabh Bachchan could have been a public figure that the nation has seen since he stepped into movies but here are a few facts most of you might not have known before.

Amitabh Bachchan was born on October 11, 1942 but with a different name. Teju Bachchan, his mother named him Inquilab. His mother was an active participant of the Satyagraha Movement, despite her pregnancy. Bachchans' friends mocked that she should name her son Inquilab. It was not until his father's friend, a poet and a novelist Smumitra Nandan Pant, proposed that the boy be named Amitabh. Amitabh means unlimited.

Amitabh was initially chosen to play the lead role against Jaya Bachchan in Guddi but he was dropped by the director Hrishikesh Mukherjee saying that he was not suitable. Later after he rose to stardom the director paired up with the angry young man for several hit films such as Mili, Chupke Chupke and Abhimaan.

Only a month before the release of Abhimaan, Jaya Bachchan and Amitabh got married. The cast and crew of Zanjeer decided to celebrate the success of Abhimaan abroad. When Amitabh asked his father permission for the trip, his father and poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan asked him if Jaya Bachchan was also going along. After Amitabh told him “yes”, he was asked to marry her before they left the country.

Though Big B is noted to be the Angry young man from his hit film Zanjeer, the movie was not his first. He had failed to impress the audience in 12 movies earlier. However, the angry young man had not going back in his career after Zanjeer.

Big B not started his career as an actor. Before his fate turned to Bollywood he worked in the radio as an announcer and also as a freight company executive in Kolkata.

Amitabh and Comedian Mehmood were thick friends. Mehmood provided shelter to Amitabh in the 70s, a time when he couldn't establish himself in the industry yet. Mehmood had also tried to give him a start with his film Bombay To Goa.

Amitabh's debut was not very easy. He had to take the recommendation of the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi and Amitabh were friends in the childhood. With her recommendation letter he had made his debut in Saat Hindustani by K A Abbas with an award winning performance.

In 1999 he was voted the Greatest Star of the Millennium by a BBC poll whilst out doing bigger stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando. He confessed that he would have voted for Marlon Brando himself.

Vijay is the favorite screen name of Big B with which he has performed as many as 19 movies.

(AW- Anil )