Amitabh Bachchan's 80th Birthday: Shatrughan Sinha calls him a "National Icon" - Exclusive

Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha have been colleagues, rivals and good friends. As Mr Bachchan turns a momentous leaf in his personal life, his friend and fellow actor Shatru expresses his adulation and love. Shatrughan Sinha reveals his reasons as to why his 'Dostana' co-star is celebrated and loved by millions around the world. Shatru also shares anecdotes from their struggling days and how he missed out on iconic movies like 'Sholay' and 'Deewaar', which turned the tide for Mr Bachchan. In Shotgun's own words...


"Amitabh Bachchan is loved and respected like no other"
Amitabh Bachchan is not only my contemporary actor and friend but also a National Icon. He has emerged as a personality in totality. There’s hardly anyone else in the country like him, who has received popularity, love and respect too. With the command that he has over language and the way he has conducted himself socially, away from politics, he has developed himself as the rarest of the rare human beings.

He shares his birthday with the great leader Jayprakash Narayan. It’s a strange world and atmosphere that Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday is celebrated or being made to celebrate more than Jayprakash Narayan’s. I am very happy that Amitabh Bachchan – the most desirable personality, most talked about personality, most seen personality is turning into an 80-year young man.


"He is one of a kind"
He is extrusive. His voice really matters. When it comes to success, people say it’s lonely at the top. He is not lonely, but the only one who carries his weight, dignity and for that matter, personality in totality. I especially, and people in general, are not only fond of him but are very proud of this rarest of rare human being - The Amitabh Bachchan.


"A special connection"
During our struggling days, he used to visit me at my flat in Band Stand (Bandra) which I still own. Apart from Amitabh, sometimes Subhash Ghai, Asrani, Anil Dhawan and Mehmood’s younger brother Anwar, would also come over. I was supposed to do 'Sholay' as well as 'Deewaar'. On one hand, I regret not doing those films, maybe it was a human error or some other reason why I didn’t do those films. But on the other hand, I feel very happy too that my friend Amitabh Bachchan got such a huge platform from both those films to present himself as a great artist. I think he was deserving. I was so busy that I couldn’t do those films despite wanting to do them.