When Amitabh Bachchan Faced Rejection Because Of His Unique Vocal Quality: “Maybe My Voice Was Not…”

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan was once rejected because of his voice. His deep baritone voice was considered a negative factor until it soon turned into his biggest plus point for stardom as the ‘Shahenshah’ of Indian cinema.

The Lean Man With A ‘Not Suitable’ Voice

Bachchan had numerous rejections and struggles before he entered the acting world. The first setback the actor faced was when he auditioned for All India Radio (AIR). He tried to get a job as a radio jockey but was rejected by none other than the legendary Ameen Sayani. His voice, which now commands millions of ears, was considered unsuitable back then.

Reflecting on this phase, Big B once said (via India TV News), “Maybe my voice was not suitable for what they were looking for. There were many eminent commentators at that time, and it is fine.” His dream of making a mark in the radio world was short-lived, but this was just the beginning of the hurdles he would face.

In fact, Amitabh Bachchan’s entry into the entertainment world wasn’t as an actor but as a voice-over artist for the 1969 film Bhuvan Shome by Mrinal Sen. Ironically, even Sen doubted his acting future. Jaya Bachchan once revealed that the director had commented, “His voice is okay, but he will never make it as an actor.” But destiny had other plans.

From Rejection To Becoming Bollywood’s Angry Young Man

Bachchan was born on October 11, 1942, in Allahabad. His father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, was a famous poet, and his mother, Teji Bachchan, was a social activist. Due to family connections, he received many rejections in the early years of his life in Mumbai. Jobs were difficult to find, but acting roles were almost impossible to get.

 

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Acting for Amitabh Bachchan was meant to begin with Saat Hindustani, released in 1969, but the real breakthrough came with Zanjeer in 1973. This film brought about the ‘angry young man’ image and thrust Bachchan into the limelight. From then on, hits like Sholay, Deewar, Don, and Amar Akbar Anthony sealed his status as royalty in Bollywood.

The voice of Bachchan today is one of the most popular ones in the world, and from rejection to world fame, it just goes to show that success often springs from the most unlikely of places.

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