Big honour for Big B

Amitabh Bachchan, the undisputed leader of Bollywood, will be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award during this year's Dubai International Film festival (DIFF) next month. Also known as Big B, Bachchan — who has maintained his superstar status for more than three decades and was voted as the Star of the Millennium, beating Charlie Chaplin and Robert De Niro in a BBC poll — will be decorated for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.

On hearing about the award, Bachchan, 67, who began his career playing characters of angry young men, said he was humbled by the honour and was doubly grateful that he was receiving it in Dubai.

"I strongly believe that cinema has the power to influence people and bring all of us together for a greater purpose — of peace, brotherhood and solidarity. By showcasing films from around the world and creating a platform for healthy dialogue, DIFF has taken cinema to its next level of social relevance. Personally, I am humbled by this recognition from Dubai, a city I consider as my second home," Bachchan said in a statement.

He added that the award would go a long way in cementing cultural affiliations between the Indian Subcontinent and the Arab world. Bachchan, who has appeared in more than 177 films to date, continues to be one of Bollywood's most bankable actors. He has delivered some of the Bollywood's biggest hits, including Sholay, Zanjeer and Black, and is known as the king of reinvention.

True to his style, in his next film, Paa, which releases on December 4, the veteran actor will be playing a 13-year-old boy, diagnosed with the early-aging disorder progeria.

Last year, DIFF honoured acclaimed filmmakers, including Hong Kong director Tsui Hark, Algerian-French director Rachid Bouchareb and Terry Gilliam, with the Lifetime Achievement Awards.

DIFF runs from December 9-16.