Amitabh Bachchan was almost named Inquilab, dropped Srivastava surname, reveals brother Ajitabh

Amitabh Bachchan was almost named Inquilab, dropped Srivastava surname, reveals brother Ajitabh

In a recent interview, Ajitabh Bachchan shed light on a fascinating piece of family history that could have changed the identity of one of India’s greatest actors. According to him, Amitabh Bachchan was almost named Inquilab by their father, the renowned poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

Ajitabh explained that his father initially wanted to name his elder son Inquilab (meaning “revolution”), inspired by the nationalist fervour of the time and the country’s struggle for independence. “My brother was five years older, and my father wanted to name him Inquilab, because he was struggling for independence. My name was to be Azad. I was born in Independent India,” Ajitabh recalled. Eventually, the family decided on the name Amitabh, which went on to become legendary in Indian cinema.

The revelations didn’t stop there. Ajitabh also explained why the family abandoned their original surname, Srivastava, and adopted Bachchan. The decision was a subtle yet powerful protest against the rigid caste system. Harivansh Rai, who belonged to the Kayastha community, had already been using Bachchan as his literary alias. The term, which means “childlike” in Hindi, was actually a pet name his mother used affectionately. “She would call him, ‘Bachchanwa kidhar hai?’ He liked that and began using it as his writing name,” Ajitabh said.

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Fond of the endearment, Harivansh Rai carried it into his professional identity. Over time, the chosen alias gained recognition far beyond his literary works. When Amitabh was enrolled in school, the family registered Bachchan as their official surname, decisively distancing themselves from caste-linked identifiers and embracing a more universal identity.

Today, Amitabh Bachchan, at the age of 81, remains one of the most enduring and dynamic figures in Indian cinema. Beyond hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati for over two decades, he continues to appear in major film projects. His recent role in the Tamil film Vettaiyan marked his entry into Tamil cinema, while upcoming works like Kalki 2898 AD and the legal drama Section 84 keep him at the center of India’s cinematic conversation.