What would be a fitting way to celebrate the 80th birthday of one of Indian cinema’s giants? While many would opt for a grand celebration, Amitabh Bachchan thinks otherwise. The megastar has chosen to mark his milestone birthday today with the two things he cherishes the most — devotion, and family. On Monday afternoon, he flew off to Tirupati to ring in his big day on an auspicious note. The veteran actor, along with his family, will offer a special puja at the Venkateswara Temple today.

Bachchan, who has been filming Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) 14, has taken a few days off from the shoot. A source reveals, “After spending Monday night at Tirupati, the family will have a special puja early in the morning, and are likely to fly back to Mumbai later in the day. They have decided against a celebration due to the demise of Samajwadi Party chief and family friend Mulayam Singh Yadav.”

Bachchan is known to have a birthday ritual — when in the city, he begins his day with a puja at Jalsa, after which he heads to Pratiksha and spends a few hours in his late parents’ room. His day is incomplete until he meets his legion of fans who throng his Juhu residence for a glimpse of him. For the evening, a quiet dinner has been lined up with wife Jaya, children Abhishek and Shweta Nanda, daughter-in-law Aishwarya, and grandchildren Navya Naveli, Agastya and Aaradhya.

To mark the occasion, the makers of KBC have shot a special episode that sees actor-wife Jaya, and Abhishek take the hot seat opposite Bachchan. 

Among Bachchan’s biggest fan clubs, the AB EF Team Worldwide is celebrating its idol’s landmark birthday over two days across Mumbai and Chennai. The function will start with a prayer at the ISKCON Temple in Juhu.

Sanjay Jumani, administrator of the fan club, says, “We had a round of cake-cutting for 2,350 kids of the Gold Heart Foundation in Chennai. We also sponsored [essentials] at an old-age home in Mahakali Caves.”

A special van featuring Bachchan’s looks from his various films will do the rounds of Juhu today. On Monday, Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan Nanda attended a special screening of Don at PVR Juhu, with the megastar’s fans.