All section Close
'Not Defined By Caste': Bollywood Actor Amitabh Bachchan On Legendary Surname
Writer: Neelima Mishra
Guru Govind Singh Indraprashtha University in New Delhi is where Neelima Mishra is doing her master's degree. She graduated from Delhi University with a bachelor's degree in journalism (hons.). She is pursuing a corporate communication specialisation at IP University.
India, 11 Oct 2021 9:51 AM GMT
Editor : Palak Agrawal |
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
Creatives : Palak Agrawal
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
In a blog post, the Bollywood actor had revealed his father's real name which was Harivansh Rai Shrivastav. At home, Harivansh Rai was fondly called Bachchan(child-like).
There isn't a single person who isn't familiar with Bollywood's Shehenshah or who isn't aware of his contributions to the industry. The name 'Amitabh Bachchan' has a strong ring to it. Do you have any idea how our 'Mahanayak' earned his name? Who gave him the name 'Amitabh Bachchan'?
Story Behind 'Bachchan'—The Surname
Amitabh Bachchan shared the roots of his surname 'Bachchan' in 2019. He revealed that his father was Harivansh Rai Shrivastav. Harivansh Rai gave up the surname Shrivastav to protest against the caste system in India - especially in Uttar Pradesh and went on to become a famous poet and writer and used the name Bachchan as a pseudonym.
"Babuji was born into a Kayasth and Srivastav family. His nom de plume, his 'takhallus,' his pen name, he designed as 'BACHCHAN,' yet his nature was always against the affliction of caste. A nom de plume is a name created by a poet or a writer of high renown. So 'Bachchan' became my father's pen name, his poetic nom de plume, but it gave credence to its concept later when I was born, and when the teachers asked what surname of this boy should be filled in the admission form, my mother and father had a quick discussion and it was decided that 'Bachchan' would be the family surname, I then became the first bearer of the surname Bachchan and it has remained so and shall remain so" he wrote in a blog post.
Also Read: 40% School Children In 7 States Lack Access To Digital Devices
Must Reads
We are an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian millennials. We report news and issues that matter as well as give you the opportunity to take action.
