One-Man Industry

One-Man Industry (May 1-15, 1980)

At any given time of day, over one lakh people are watching a tall, lanky, slightly gawky figure sing, dance and especially fight on the screen. Every year, approximately four crore people crowd the cinemas to watch this man battle the forces of evil, and it has been estimated that one in every six Indians has seen one of his films. Each time he leaves his elegant house in Bombay's Juhu-Ville Parle scheme, investments worth Rs 50 crore ride on him. So much in demand is the dark, taciturn star that the hordes of eager producers who queue up outside his dressing rooms are told that they cannot expect shooting dates before early 1983. And yet, the offers keep on coming. As French producers Alain Chamas who tried unsuccessfully to sign him for Crossings opposite Jon Voight and Richard Dreyfus finally remarked in sheer exasperation: "This man is not just a star. Amitabh Bachchan is an industry."

--by Vir Sanghvi with Zothanpari Hrahsel and Surender Bhatia

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