Amitabh Bachchan turns 81: Here's what Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio, others once said about him

Amitabh Bachchan celebrated his 81st birthday with a sea of die-hard fans outside his Mumbai home on Thursday night.

As the veteran actor turned 81 on October 11, 2023, Navya Naveli Nanda posted a snapshot on her social media featuring Amitabh surrounded by his wife-actor Jaya Bachchan, and grandchildren Navya, Aaradhya and Agastya Nanda.

The renowned star has worked in Hollywood hit movie The Great Gatsby, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

Let's take a trip down memory lane on the occasion of Amitabh Bachchan's 81st birthday and revisit the times when Hollywood stars and filmmakers have praised the star.

Leonardo DiCaprio calls Amitabh Bachchan ‘gentle’ and ‘wonderful’:

Leonardo DiCaprio, who had worked with Amitabh Bachchan in The Great Gatsby, has appreciated the “talented” star.

During a conversation with NDTV, Leonardo said, “He couldn’t be a more gentle, wonderful individual to work with. And astoundingly talented. To come and play Meyer Wolfsheim in this movie and embody that roughness and a mystery, everything that comes out of his mouth is filled with so much more and so much presence.”

The Killers of the Flower Moon star further added, “And then you see the camera cut and he’s the perfect gentleman, just a joy to be around and a wonderful collaborator. He’s a magnificent actor and I was honoured to work with him.”

“The truth is I haven’t watched a lot of Indian films in my life but we did talk about them at great length and we always had interesting stories to tell about how we started off as actors and what it was like for him. I can’t say enough wonderful things about my experience working with him,” he continued.

Christopher Nolan sings praise for Amitabh Bachchan:

The renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan has also spoken highly of the Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan.

Nolan presented Amitabh with the FIAF Award in 2021 and said, “I know how imperative it is that representatives of the film industry around the world come together to ensure that we preserve our film heritage.”

“I want to congratulate Amitabh Bachchan on receiving the 2021 honour. He has played an essential role in putting the cause of film preservation on the map in India and the subcontinent.” he concluded. 

Tobey Maguire feels ‘honour’ to work with Amitabh Bachchan:

Tobey Maguire, who has worked with Amitabh Bachchan in The Great Gatsby, has shared that he enjoyed working with the renowned star.

In a discussion with NDTV, Maguire praised, “It was really an honour working with him. He's so great. He's so thoughtful. And his presence, you can feel it. He's regal, in a sense, but also really down to earth and so modest.”

“I really enjoyed working with him; he's basically a very talented actor. So it was so much fun,” he added.

Martin Scorsese praises Amitabh Bachchan:

Martin Scorsese has also acknowledged Amitabh Bachchan’s talent and his determination to preserve “India’s film legacy.”

The Killers of the Flower Moon filmmaker said in a report, “Safeguarding cinema is a global cause. Amitabh Bachchan’s advocacy for preserving India’s film legacy has been exceptional.”

Martin concluded, “With a career spanning over five decades, he is a celebrated actor who has put the considerable weight of his reputation behind the cause of film preservation in India and the entire subcontinent.”