Cover to Cover: The Bachchan Journey

Amitabh Bachchan today entered his 83rd year. Chronicling his journey is this handpicked collection of rare magazine covers – some of the most interesting front pages from the many that captured his extraordinary transformation from ‘Angry Young Man’ to India’s greatest cinematic icon. These covers appeared during Amitabh Bachchan’s journey in the first three decades of his career, until his small screen foray with Sidharth Basu’s Kaun Banega Crorepati changed his appearance and fortunes forever!

Madhuri

11^th June 1971

Though Amitabh was launched by Khwaja Ahmed Abbas in Saat Hindustani in 1969, he had to wait till mid-1971 when, after the release and success of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anand, the press considered him worthy of a cover story. Amitabh played a supporting role to Rajesh Khanna in this classic. Madhuri, a publication of The Times of India group, was the most popular Hindi film magazine of the seventies.

Amitabh Bachchan on Madhuri cover 11th June 1971

Filmfare

13^th August 1971

Amitabh Bachchan’s first Filmfare magazine cover appeared two months after his Madhuri cover. Filmfare was then edited by B K Karanjia, and the cover was shot by the magazine’s official photographer Dhiraj Chawda. Amitabh went on to feature in several memorable Filmfare covers across his journey as an actor.

Amitabh Bachchan on Filmfare August 13, 1971 cover

Stardust

March 1973

Amitabh Bachchan’s first Stardust cover appeared at a time when he was struggling for box-office validation of his stardom. When this cover hit the stands, none of Amitabh’s 11 releases had worked, except Anand and, to some extent, Bombay to Goa. The popular gossip magazine was owned by Nari Hira, and its editor that year was Shobhaa De, who later went on to edit several journals before transforming herself into a bestselling author!

Amitabh Bachchan on Stardust March 1973 cover

Cine Blitz

April 1975

Cine Blitz was launched by Rusi Karanjia, the firebrand editor of Blitz weekly, in December 1974. Amitabh’s first cover for the magazine was its fifth issue, and the first to stamp the rise of the ‘Angry Young Man’ – a persona seen and popularised in three successive Salim-Javed scripts viz. Prakash Mehra’s Zanjeer (1973), Ravi Tandon’s Majboor (1974) and Yash Chopra’s Deewaar (1975).

Amitabh Bachchan on Cine Blitz April 1975 cover

Filmfare

November 16-30, 1978

The year 1978, as I have mentioned in my book The Bachchans, remains the most successful year of Amitabh’s career. While mega-hits like Adalat, Khoon Pasina, Amar Akbar Anthony, and Parvarish (all released in 1977) were still in theatres, he delivered as many as six success stories in 1978! While Besharam was a moderate success, Don, Trishul, Ganga ki Saugand, Muqaddar ka Sikandar and Kasme Vaade were super-hits. Therefore, 10 blockbusters featuring Bachchan were ruling the country’s box office in 1978! A feat no actor worldwide can claim, in my opinion.

Since most of the films had the superstar in anger, the Filmfare cover story carried a critique of how Amitabh is repeating himself towards doom! It needs to be stated here that the magazine seldom gave generous reviews to any Amitabh film at the peak of his popularity.

Amitabh Bachchan on Filmfare November 16-30, 1978 cover

India Today

May 1-15, 1980

After a glorious 1978, Amitabh delivered another four hits in 1979 viz. Mr Natwarlal, Kaala Patthar, Jurmana and Suhaag!

Such an avalanche of hits at the box-office had never been created before by any successful actor. India Today magazine surprised its discerning readers with a cover story referring to Amitabh Bachchan as a ‘One Man Industry’ – an epithet that became synonymous to Bachchan for years to come! This was Amitabh’s first cover of the country’s most popular fortnightly English magazine.

Another India Today cover, titled ‘The Big Budget Survivors’, made waves four years later, featuring Bachchan with Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai, two of his most successful directors. It was shot by celebrated photographer Raghu Rai.

Amitabh Bachchan on India Today May 1-15, 1980 cover

Movie

September 1982

An India Book House publication, Movie magazine was edited by Rauf Ahmed and was positioned for readers who preferred great visuals and less gossip. The mass hysteria that followed Amitabh’s famous accident on the sets of Prayag Raaj’s Coolie, the daily health updates on the front pages of all newspapers during his two-month hospitalisation, the countrywide prayers transcending religious and geographical boundaries, all added up to the magazine famously declaring him ‘The Phenomenon’! The cover was shot by acclaimed calendar artist, film publicity designer, and photographer J P Singhal.

Amitabh Bachchan on Movie September 1982 cover

Ruby

April 1983

Urdu film journals have always been at the forefront of film journalism in India, since the 1930s. Popular magazines like Shama (edited by Idrees Dehelvi), Ruby, Filmi Sitaray and many more had interesting cover stories on the actor in the 70s, 80s and 90s. This unique cover is a tribute to Bachchan’s popularity in the eighties!

Amitabh Bachchan on Urdu Magazine Ruby April 1983 cover

Gentleman

July 1983

Though a ‘men’s’ magazine with intellectual content, Gentleman was famous for its unique features by acclaimed thinkers and luminaries. This rare issue featured Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Amitabh in conversation with the magazine on topics beyond just cinema. The issue successfully focused on the father-son bond, with both analysing each other’s journey in their own opinions.

Amitabh Bachchan with Harivansh Rai Bachchan on Gentleman April 1983 cover

Sushma

April 1985

Shama (Urdu) and Sushma (Hindi) were both published from Delhi by Idrees Dehlvi. Usually, the covers were advertisements of upcoming films, designed specifically for the magazine by the producers. This issue, however, highlights the industry’s fear of losing Amitabh to politics. After Amitabh’s spectacular win at the Allahabad Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate (December 1984), he became a Member of Parliament when this issue hit the stands.

Amitabh Bachchan on Sushma April 1985 cover

The Illustrated Weekly of India

January 8-14, 1989

The nastiest cover story to ever come out on Amitabh Bachchan! The press was gunning for the superstar following his resignation from politics over the Bofors issue. Though Tinnu Anand’s Shahenshah had a spectacular opening at the box office in 1988 and the film zoomed past a silver jubilee, it was Manmohan Desai’s Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswathi that barely scraped through the box office, thereby opening a Pandora’s box of flak for the actor’s commercial stature. Though The Illustrated Weekly of India was edited by Pritish Nandy, the cover story was penned by Khalid Mohamed, then a powerful film critic with The Times of India. Nandy later regretted doing this particular cover story.

Amitabh Bachchan on The Illustrated Weekly of India January 8-14, 1989 cover

G

12^th February, 1990

Published by Chitralekha Group and edited by Bhawana Somaaya, G magazine was famous for its visual quality. This particular issue featured rare family portraits of the Bachchan family shot by the celebrated cinematographer Ashok Mehta.

Amitabh Bachchan with Jaya Bachchan, Shweta and Abhishek on G February 1990 cover

Mayapuri

Diwali 1991 Issue

Mayapuri was the most affordable and therefore popular Hindi film magazine across the Hindi belt. This was an exclusive issue featuring the Bachchans on the cover. The special issue sold out as it hit the stands.

Amitabh Bachchan with family on Mayapuri Diwali 1991 Issue cover

Business World

1-14 November, 1995

An unusual magazine to feature Amitabh for its cover story! He graced the cover of Business World during the time he had taken a sabbatical from films to set up a corporate entity named Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited, which was later rechristened as AB Corp. This issue appeared three years after Mukul Anand’s blockbuster hit Khuda Gawah. Bachchan had not done any film after that.

Amitabh Bachchan on BusinessWorld November 1995 cover

More Must Read in Silhouette

‘His First Release in Bombay was ‘Anand’, Not ‘Saat Hindustani” — SMM Ausaja, Author of THE BACHCHANS

75 Rare Memorabilia, Unique Artworks to Celebrate Amitabh Bachchan’s Platinum Year

Amitabh Bachchan – He Still Towers Over the Others

Bachchan Back to the Beginning — Mega 18-City Retrospective & Exhibition to Celebrate the Icon’s 80th Birthday