The Indian film industry’s biggeststars like Dilip Kumar, Yash Chopra, ShahRukh Khan and to southern superstarRajinikanth to high profile politicians likePraful Patel flocked to the big bash organisedin Mumbai Wednesday to usher in theliving legend Amitabh Bachchan’s 70thbirthday.The red carpet was rolled out for asmany as 800 guests at the Reliance MediaWork, Film City, Goregaon.Amitabh, dressed in a black velvet outfit,came with his family — wife JayaBachchan, son Abhishek, daughterShweta, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai –and he too walked the red carpet with liveorchestra playing hit numbers from hisfilms.
Big B, who turns 70 Thursday, toldmedia, “Thanks for coming”, whileAishwarya, flaunting a cream long dresswith golden detailed work all over, toldreporters, “We are so happy that we are allhere today celebrating his birthday. Thankyou so much.
“If yesteryear veterans like HemaMalini, Saira Banu, Waheeda Rehman,Vinod Khanna, Prem Chopra, KaderKhan, Pran, Zeenat Aman, Jeetendra andAsha Parekh came to wish Big B, his costarof many films like “Deewar” ShashiKumar was wheeled in to join the revelries.Also Neetu and Rishi Kapoor, whohave worked with Big B,were seen walkingthe red carpet.Aishwarya and Abhishek played a perfecthost and escorted 89-year old legendDilip Kumar inside the venue.
Big B’s one time competitor VinodKhanna, who rarely speaks to the media,was in a generous mood and said: “I wishhim all the happiness and good luck.”From the current lot stars likeDeepika Padukone, Parineeti Chopra,Anurag Kashyap and his wife KalkiKoechlin, Sonakshi Sinha, Vidya Balan,John Abraham and Arshad Warsi came towish Big B.
Also Tabu, Madhuri Dixit with herhusband Sriram Nene, MahimaChaudhary, Abbas Mastan, Sudhir Mishra,Anil Kapoor, Subhash Ghai, Alka Yagnik,Boman Irani, R Madhavan, Ameesha Patel,Ajay Devgn-Kajol, Sridevi, Sanjay Dutt,Sunil Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Divya Dutta,Ashutosh Gowariker, Juhi Chawla, PreityZinta, Vipul shah, Rana Daggubati andUrmila Matondker among others werethere.Shabana Azmi called him an “iconicfigure” and added: “I got an opportunity towork with him.
He is my favourite.”Madhuri wished him all the “happinessand success”, while Juhi said: “Irespect him, admire him and I had a greattime working with him.”Vidya, who played his mom in Paa,said that “he is an inspiration not only foractors but for everyone”.From down south, Chiranjeevi,Nagarjuna, Ram Charan Teja were presentamong others.
If glamour was at its high,the big names from political corridorincluding Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) leader Praful Patel, Shiv Sena executivepresident Uddhav Thackeray,Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam SinghYadav and his son and Uttar Pradesh ChiefMinister Akhilesh Yadav gathered here towish Big B.
