Jaya Bachchan

Jaya Bahaduri was born on April 9th 1948 in Kolkata to a journalist Taroon Kumar and Indira Bahaduri. Jaya studied at St Joseph’s Convent in Bhopal and started acting in plays as a kid.

Jaya was cast for a small role in Satyajit Ray’s film when she was fifteen and it was the legendary filmmaker who persuaded her to take a career in acting. Jaya joined the ‘Film and Television Institute of India’ in Pune for an acting course.

After graduating from FTII, Jaya got her first break in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s ‘Guddi’. Director Hrishikesh became her mentor and he casted her in ‘Bawarchi’, ‘Anamika’, ‘Abhimaan’, ‘Chupke Chupke’ and ‘Mili’. Jaya also proved to be a lucky mascot for Big B when she saved his sinking career with ‘Zanjeer’ after which the two started dating. Jaya got married to Big B in 1973 and has two kids Shweta and Abhishek Bachchan.

After acting in superhit movies like ‘Sholay’ and ‘Silsila’, Jaya took a sabbatical as she wanted to spend more time with her kids.

After 17 years, she made a comeback in ‘Hazar Chaurasi Ki Maa’. Jaya acted with her husband Amitabh after a gap of 20 years in Karan Johar’s ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’. Jaya is also actively involved in politics and is seen rallying for Samjawadi Party. Jaya became a MP in Rajya Sabha, but her political seat was disqualified and had to give up her position. Jaya is also a grandmother to Shweta’s two kids Navya Naveli and Agastya Nanda.