Mumbai, Oct 11 (IANS) He's been the angry young man
and the Shahenshah of the Hindi silver screen. But in his over four
decade-long film career, Amitabh Bachchan, who turned 72 Saturday, has
also delivered some performances which have been underrated.
Here's a dekko at the top ten such works of the thespian:
1.
"Saudagar": Sudhendu Roy's memorable film of 1973, about a mercenary
gur seller who marries village widow Nutan only to exploit her
gur-making talent, is a classical study of patriarchal avarice. The Big
B, with his dhoti hitched to his kneecaps, looked every inch the
authentic palm-climbing toddy merchant. This is among his best to date.
2.
"Parwana": The jealous and possessive victim of unrequited love who
kills the girl Yogeeta Bali's father (Om Prakash) when he refuses to let
him marry her, "Parwana" saw the Big B as a desperate lover, filled
with sweaty angst. Riveting.
3. "Bandhe Haath": This
psycho-thriller directed by O.P. Ralhan came just before the Big B shot
to fame with "Zanjeer". He played the double role of a thief and a poet.
This film brought the Big B face-to-face with the luscious Mumtaz.
4.
"Sanjog": A 1971 ladies's picture, the film focussed on the very
talented Mala Sinha, who is married to and separated from the character
essayed by Big B. Many years later, she returns in his life as his boss.
It is a South Indian melodrama, directed by S.S. Balan, where the Big B
displayed his acumen for surrendering his ego to a character.
5.
"Bemisaal": Of all the films that the Big B and Hrishikesh Mukherjee
collaborated on, this one under-performed the most. But Big B playing
the faithful adopted son in a middle-class family with a dark and
dangerous past, displayed tremendous chemistry in his scenes with
Raakhee who played his best friend's wife.
6. "Faraar": Big B
played a fugitive on the run who takes shelter in his former
sweetheart's home where she's now happily married to her policeman
husband. The bond that the fugitive forms with his former beloved's
little son, was astonishing in its filial authenticity. "Faraar", a
flop, is forgotten today.
7. "Alaap": The unsuccessful Hrishikesh
Mukherjee-Big B collaboration oozed despondency and despair. The Big B
was utterly credible as the hotshot lawyer Om Prakash' son who prefers
to spend time with a classical singer rather than practising his
father's craft.
8. "Main Azaad Hoon": Tinu Anand, one of the Big
B's closest friends, fashioned this desi remake of Frank Capra's "Meet
John Doe". The Big B personified the rise of Everyman to a national
hero. It was a rousing performance rendered to perfection.
9.
"Manzil": This film, which brought the Big B together with director Basu
Chatterjee, featured the actor as an over-reacher filled with
destructive middle-class dreams of affluence. The shades of grey always
enhanced the Big B's performance.
10. "Nishabd": As a 60-plus man
desperately in love with his daughter's friend, the Big B conveyed all
the anguish of a hopeless passion, plus more. His monologue of guilt and
repentance at the end as he looks straight into the camera is among his
most accomplished performances in the post "Mohabbatein" phase of his
career when he entered another innings. Ram Gopal Varma, take a bow.