Amitabh Bachchan recalls smoking 200 cigarettes daily

The actor shared reason for giving up smoking, drinking, and eating meat as he reflected on his youth and past habits

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan recently opened up about his past habits, revealing that in his younger days, he was a chain-smoker, heavy drinker, and ate meat.

In an interview with India Today from 1980, Bachchan confessed that he once smoked up to 200 cigarettes a day while living in Kolkata.

He also admitted to drinking anything he could get his hands on and eating meat regularly.

However, he decided to quit these habits upon moving to Mumbai, choosing a healthier lifestyle that now includes being a vegetarian and teetotaler.

Amitabh Bachchan emphasized that his decision to give up smoking, drinking, and eating meat wasn't motivated by religion but personal preference.

He acknowledged that his wife, Jaya Bachchan, and his mother, Teji, still eat meat, while his father was a vegetarian, much like himself today.

He shared the challenges of finding vegetarian food while shooting abroad, but remains committed to his choice, stating that he realized he didn’t need these habits anymore.

In the same interview, he also reflected on his temper during his youth, admitting to being involved in fights during college but maintaining that he is not a violent person.

He added that screen violence is unrealistic and purely for entertainment.

His father-in-law, Taroon Coomar Bhaduri, once wrote about Bachchan, describing him as an introvert with a close circle of friends, a sensitive nature, and a fantastic sense of humour.

Taroon Bhaduri further noted that Bachchan’s choice to be a vegetarian, teetotaler, and non-smoker was purely personal.

Despite his larger-than-life image on screen, Amitabh Bachchan remains a private individual with strong personal convictions, committed to his healthier lifestyle and surrounded by a small, close-knit group of friends.

Amitabh Bachchan Reflected on Job Struggles After Completing Education

Last month, in a recent episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 16, Amitabh Bachchan shared his personal struggles with finding a job after completing his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree.

He humorously reflected on how his degrees, including a TS, did not prove useful in securing employment.

Bachchan candidly admitted that even after completing his education, he felt clueless and couldn’t recall much of what he had studied during his academic years.

During the episode, Bachchan engaged in a light-hearted conversation with rollover contestant Abhishek Sandhu, an Employment Officer with the Haryana Government.

The discussion took a humorous turn when Abhishek shared his job search experiences after completing his engineering degree.

Bachchan responded with a laugh, asking, “When you knew there were no jobs, why did you study it in the first place?”

This added a touch of relatability to the conversation, as Bachchan compared it to his own job struggles after finishing his studies.

In another episode, Amitabh Bachchan shared an interesting behind-the-scenes story from his 1981 iconic film Yaarana.

He revealed that while filming the famous song Sara Zamana Husn Ka Deewana, he wore an electric jacket that caused him to experience real electric shocks during the shoot.

Due to the limited technology at the time, wires were wrapped around his body and connected to a switchboard.

The sudden surges of power caused him to receive shocks, which, ironically, made him move, leading to the dance sequence.

Bachchan also provided some humorous insights into the technology of the time. He described the primitive lighting system used for the jacket, which was manually controlled through wires and a switchboard.

Despite the discomfort and real electric shocks, Bachchan joked that it unintentionally helped him perform the dance moves in the song.

This amusing anecdote added a touch of lightness to the episode, further showcasing Bachchan's ability to entertain while reflecting on his past experiences.