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This is not the image of a father figure, guide to the people. This image makes the Brand AB an evergreen brand, where in spite of being aged, he is still young at heart; here Brand AB is more of a friend to the new generation.
But this image being a stark contrast to the actual image of Brand AB, there can be a fear of diluting the core brand image or brand value - that of a guide of masses, a saviour.

Importance of the Brand AB

"Brand Amitabh worth millions of rupees" - this was the heading of a news when Amitabh Bachchan got ill and had an intestinal surgery on November 30, 2005 at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. In fact he was in the headlines of all papers and television news. One of the main reasons for this, besides his popularity, is that his illness had put the Bollywood film industry on a crisis. There is a huge commercial side of the Brand Amitabh - Bollywood was not able to have a sigh of relief till he was back in action, as a huge Rs. 270 crores was at stake. Brand Amitabh still sells like hot-cakes in the Bollywood film industry. Chandan Mitra, an eminent journalist and who also has been nominated to Rajya Sabha, has written an article on him with the title, "The Only Real Indian Idol".

In 2005, he delivered one super hit (Bunty Aur Babli - Rs. 60 crores), two hits (Black - Rs. 38 crores and Sarkar - Rs. 40 crores) and two semi-hits (Waqt and Viruddh). Some of the other hits of Big B in 2005 have also done decent business in certain quarters. The worth of Brand Amitabh cannot be valued only in terms of money - in fact his popularity is considered more than any of the famous Khan brands like Shahrukh, Salman and Aamir. To analyze the Brand Amitabh, trade analyst Taran Adarsh has recalled the words of the late director Manmohan Desai: "Amitabh Bachchan is like a Haley's Comet. A person like him comes once in 76 years. It is only he who can survive in spite of all odds."

Rise of the Brand AB

On October 11, 1942, the well-known poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan (a friend of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) were blessed with a baby boy whom they called Amitabh. He completed his school education from Uttar Pradesh - Sherwood College, Nainital. Then he earned an arts degree from Delhi University. He began his professional career as a middle-level executive with a British firm in the east Indian city of Kolkata. But he had acting dreams and moved to Mumbai in 1968. Just like any other newcomer to Indian cinema, he made the rounds of film producer's offices asking for his first role or break.

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* Contributed by: -
Shirshendu Ganguli,
Research Scholar,
ICFAI Institute for Management Teachers, Hyderabad.