Holy start to the next decade for Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan

What would be a fitting way to celebrate the 80th birthday of one of Indian cinema's giants? While many would opt for a grand celebration, Amitabh Bachchan thinks otherwise. The megastar has chosen to mark his milestone birthday today with the two things he cherishes the most - devotion, and family. On Monday afternoon, he flew off to Tirupati to ring in his big day on an auspicious note. The veteran actor, along with his family, will offer a special puja at the Venkateswara Temple today.

Bachchan, who has been filming Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) 14, has taken a few days off from the shoot. A source reveals, "After spending Monday night at Tirupati, the family will have a special puja early in the morning, and are likely to fly back to Mumbai later in the day. They have decided against a celebration due to the demise of Samajwadi Party chief and family friend Mulayam Singh Yadav." Bachchan is known to have a birthday ritual - when in the city, he begins his day with a puja at Jalsa, after which he heads to Pratiksha and spends a few hours in his late parents' room. His day is incomplete until he meets his legion of fans who throng his Juhu residence for a glimpse of him. For the evening, a quiet dinner has been lined up with wife Jaya, children Abhishek and Shweta Nanda, daughter-in-law Aishwarya, and grandchildren Navya Naveli, Agastya and Aaradhya.

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To mark the occasion, the makers of KBC have shot a special episode that sees actor-wife Jaya, and Abhishek take the hot seat opposite Bachchan.

Fans cheer on for Big B

Among Bachchan's biggest fan clubs, the AB EF Team Worldwide is celebrating its idol's landmark birthday over two days across Mumbai and Chennai. The function will start with a prayer at the ISKCON Temple in Juhu. Suresh Jumani, administrator of the fan club, says, "We had a round of cake-cutting for 2,350 kids of the Gold Heart Foundation in Chennai. We also sponsored [essentials] at an old-age home in Mahakali Caves." A special van featuring Bachchan's looks from his various films will do the rounds of Juhu today. On Monday, Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan Nanda attended a special screening of Don at PVR Juhu, with the megastar's fans.