The 14th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) is set to come to a close soon. The final week begins with Akshay Kumar joined by Prakash Singh, former DG, BSF, and DGP UP & DGP Assam, Patron of Indian Police Foundation, on the hot seat. Talking about how the Khiladi Kumar does dangerous stunts without opting for a body double, actor-host Amitabh Bachchan recalled a film in which Kumar played his son.

“Amit ji shared that for a scene in which Akshay’s character has to set himself on fire, he refused to use a duplicate and did the stunt himself. Amitji had to watch Akshay from a distance, but couldn’t due to the dangerous stunt,” reveals a source.

On the episode, Bachchan took the opportunity to ask Kumar how he manages to perform such risky stunts. Kumar replied, “I don’t call myself an actor first, I call myself a stuntman. I have been doing this all my life, and this is possible due to the martial art training and the sports I have played in my life. I have kept myself agile. Even today, I try to do as much as I can for my stunts.”

The Ram Setu actor also highlighted how all the members of the stunt artistes association are insured. Kumar and Prakash Singh will donate their prize money to the Indian Police Foundation and Institute. It is a multi-disciplinary think-tank dedicated to working for police reform and the improvement of policing through research, capacity building, and policy advocacy.

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.

It’s that time of the year again, when Amitabh Bachchan invites the common man to take the hot seat opposite him. The megastar began shooting for the 14th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) on Tuesday. Since 2022 marks the 75th year of India’s independence, the team decided to open with a special event that saw Aamir Khan and Army veterans celebrating the milestone.

Director Arun Sheshkumar says, “This year, we have invited heroes who have made a difference to the country — from sports, armed forces and the film industry. We shot a grand event with Aamir Khan on the hot seat, [pitted against] two decorated veteran army personnel, a colonel and a major. Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri and boxer Mary Kom also played a round against each other. Mr Bachchan hosted them as they played the game, shared touching stories and celebrated the spirit of India.”

Earlier this week, Bachchan posted a picture on Instagram that saw him, dressed in a hoodie and pyjamas, on the reality show’s set. “He will sport an all-new look, not the harem pants. He joked that saree ko kaat ke pyjama bana diya,” grins the director. 

In awe of Bachchan’s commitment to the show, he says, “Mr Bachchan completes his films before he starts KBC. That has been his practice. He brushes up on his [hosting] skills, and does rehearsals for a month or so before the shoot.”

Arun Sheshkumar and Aamir Khan