Sun 12 July 2020:
Amitabh Bachchan, one of India’s best-known movie stars, has tested positive for COVID-19 together with his actor son Abhishek Bachchan. Both were moved to a private hospital.
“I have tested COVID positive … shifted to hospital … hospital informing authorities … family and staff undergone tests, results awaited,” Amitabh Bachchan, 77, said in a tweet.
T 3590 -I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests , results awaited ..
All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested !— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 11, 2020
“All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested.”
His 44-year-old son Abhishek minutes later on Twitter said he too tested positive.
Earlier today both my father and I tested positive for COVID 19. Both of us having mild symptoms have been admitted to hospital. We have informed all the required authorities and our family and staff are all being tested. I request all to stay calm and not panic. Thank you. ??
— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) July 11, 2020
“Wishing and praying for @SrBachchan ji’s speedy recovery,” tweeted Samajdwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav.
“Take care Amit ji. Praying for your good health and quick recovery,” wrote cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
“We’re all cheering for you. And you have nothing to worry about. There’s a vaccine you possess—it’s code named the Big V—and it’s inbuilt & organic. Grows inside all those like you who are natural fighters,” industrialist Anand Mahindra wrote.
The Bollywood actors were admitted to Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment hub.
A Bollywood legend, Amitabh has been leading the way in the country’s fight against the coronavirus, appearing in public service advertisements.
He joined the film industry in 1969 and has done more than 200 movies. The actor suffered a near-fatal injury during the shooting of an action scene on a film set in 1982 and was in critical condition for several months.
Affectionately known as “Big B”, Amitabh shot to stardom in the early 1970s on the back of roles in huge hit movies such as Zanjeer and Sholay.
His films still open to packed cinemas across India, but his new movie – comedy-drama Gulabo Sitabo – was released on Amazon’s streaming service because of the coronavirus restrictions.
Virus vulnerability
Bollywood recently resumed film shoots after a months-long hiatus following the imposition of a nationwide lockdown in India in late March.
But actors over the age of 65, such as Amitabh, are banned from the set because of their vulnerability to the virus.
Millions of Indians revere Amitabh like royalty, hanging on his every word, seeking his blessings and congregating outside his Mumbai bungalow every year on October 11, his birthday.
The doyen of Bollywood is a keen user of Twitter, where he has 43 million followers, and his career has branched into television presenting, business and politics, as well as countless commercial endorsements.
Early in his acting life, Amitabh earned his reputation as India’s “angry young man” for portraying violent heroes fighting an unjust system and injecting a new aggressive element into Bollywood movies, which had previously consisted of polite romances.
After some lean years, Amitabh bounced back spectacularly, largely because of his stint as host for the Indian version of the popular TV game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, which revived his artistic and financial fortunes.
India’s nationwide coronavirus toll rose on Saturday to 820,916 cases – the third highest in the world – with 22,123 deaths.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
