34 years ago, on this very day, Amitabh Bachchan returned almost miraculously from near-death. He has always acknowledged August 2 as his 'second birthday.'
This year, Big B confessed that he was 'embarrassed' yet humbled by the love he received on the day he and the nation refers to as his 'rebirth.' "They make these art works to commemorate the August 2, 1982 birthday. It embarrasses me, but the sentiments of the people who attach themselves to my life cannot be ignored
He feels indebted to his fans for his new life and believes his second life was gifted to him because of the undying love and support he received through prayers.
The actor was rushed to St. Philomena's Hospital where he underwent an emergency surgery. He was then flown to Mumbai to be treated at the Breach Candy Hospital.
Doctors operated immediately but, even with the emergency splenectomy, Mr Bachchan remained close to death. The nation mourned, fans thronged temples offering to sacrifice limbs in exchange for their hero's recovery. Mr Bachchan's wife, Jaya, walked barefoot from Breach Candy to Siddhi Vinayak Temple every day to pray for him. His close friend Rajiv Gandhi called off his trip to the United States to be with him. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also visited the hospital.
There was still no sign of life - till August 2. In a final measure, doctors injected adrenaline straight into Big B's heart. Almost immediately, Jaya Bachchan saw him squirm and exclaimed "Look, he's alive." August 2 became Mr Bachchan's 'rebirth.'
Director Manmohan Desai rewrote the ending of Coolie to have Mr Bachchan's character recover from an operation, just as he had done in real life. It would be unfair to the man who had cheated death in reality to not do so on screen, the director said. The movie was a huge success.
