Even after receiving a national award, Mithun Chakraborty, who turned 74, was referred to as Gareebo Ka Amitabh Bachchan. Everything we are aware of!
Bollywood’s disco dancers have left a legacy unmatched by anything else. A significant figure in the history of Bollywood film is Mithun Chakraborty. He is well-known for his memorable parts in numerous films, including Gunda, Chaalbaaz, OMG, and many more. However, the endearing public hero had an extremely difficult ascent to prominence. The 74-year-old movie actor initially had to deal with a lot of discrimination. In an era where heroes with lighter skin tones predominated, he was often teased for the color of his skin. Gareebo Ka Amitabh Bachchan was the moniker given to Mithun Chakraborty even after he had won a National Award.
In fact, Mithun Chakraborty was a cult hero in India thanks to his exceptional coordination of intricate dance moves to Bappi Lahiri’s fast-paced disco hits. Before he brought “the party” to the public through his songs and films, Mithun’s dark complexion, gapped teeth, and strong Bengali accent infuriated them. Despite winning the National Award for his first film, Mrigayaa (1976), the actor was frequently seen in films that were at best B-grade, earning him the nickname “Gareebon ka Amitabh.”
Bollywood heroes were often descended from royalty until the 1970s and 1980s, when Mithun defied the system. Other than being close to Bachchan, he found another way to get famous. Referred to as Mithun da, the king of B-grade films such as Gunda, he was adored by working-class proletariat men. Even yet, he expressed a desire to gain popularity, saying, “You know, I’m a pioneer because I came on stage doing karate and disco dancing, but after a while, I wanted to have all kinds of spectators.”
Mithun realized that in order to overcome his B-grade relegation, he would need to collaborate with Bollywood’s fashion queens. Since he had his own problems in life, the movie depicted his journey from a B-grade actor to an A-grade actor. The fight in the film industry is best described by someone who said, “No one remembers the LOSERS here except being good,” in 2022. To get here, you must struggle. I had to struggle to survive.
At first, Mithun was unable to attract the interest of any of the leading actresses of the day or the insider contacts. However, Mithun’s situation improved when Zeenat Aman and director Brij Sadanah endorsed him as Taqdeer’s hero. Mithun is an A-category actor because to Taqdeer. After that, Mithun shot popular movies like Baat Ban Gayi and Yaadon Ki Kasam. He acted in Hum Se Hai Zamana and Ashanti as well.
Mithun Chakraborty has performed in over 300 films and juggled Bengali and Hindi cinema over the course of nearly five decades. He has further acted in films in Bhojpuri, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. For the films Mrigayaa (1976), Tahader Katha (1992), and Swami Vivekananda (1998), he has received three National Awards and two Filmfare Awards. As Krishnan Iyer, MA, he stole the show in Agneepath, even though he had a supporting part to Amitabh’s. Despite having a life tale fit for a biopic, Mithun is opposed to having one created. Because of its tragic themes, he believes the audience may be discouraged and their hearts broken.
Chakraborty last appeared in The Kashmir Files, directed by Vivek Agnihotri.