Playing Himself: The Big B has done it again

In Bombay Talkies, the film commemorating a 100 years of Indian cinema the Big B Amitabh Bachchan plays Amitabh Bachchan, the mega-star whom a fan wants to meet come hell or high-water. This is not the first time that the Big B has appeared as himself in a movie. In fact in another ready-for-release film entitled The Struggler, Mahesh Manjrekar plays a struggler whose dream finally comes true when he meets his idol Amitabh Bachchan. Manjrekar’s film has been ready for nearly 6 years now with no one willing to release the unusual experimental film. But now with Viacom 18’s Bombay Talkies on release Manjrekar is all set to find an outlet for his film. Says Manjrekar, “It’s one of Amitji’s undiscovered little gems. I think this is the right time to release the film. This is the 100th year of cinema. And the 35th year of Mr Bachchan in the industry. The Struggler is my humble tribute to him.” Big B As Himself: Ramji Londonwale (appeared at the end to inaugurate Madhavan’s restaurant) Amrithdhare (film in Kannada about a husband fulfilling his dying wife’s wish to meet her idol the Big B) Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Gol Maal( appeared as himself shooting a film in a studio) Pankaj Parasher’s Jalwa Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan Ketan Mehra’s Hero Hiralal Mahesh Manjrekar’s Struggler plays the icon whom the struggler meets Anurag Kashyap’s segment in Bombay Talkies (Big B plays himself and even allowed the film to be shot in his parental bungalow Prateeksha) The Big B also played God in Rumi Jaffrey’s God, Tussi Great Ho. Which many say is the same as playing himself.