MUMBAI: Bollywood’s favourite film star Amitabh Bachchan appeared on Indian screens on Monday in his first television drama series, in which he plays a real estate businessman with a potentially terminal illness.

After more than four decades in cinema and nearly 200 film appearances to his name, the 71-year-old widely known as “the Big B” made his TV fiction debut with the lead role in the 20-episode show “Yudh”.

“For quite some time I wanted to get an opportunity on television in which I get to work in a serial,” Bachchan told the Press Trust of India news agency last month.

“Television is a very powerful medium. Commercially the turnover of television is three times more than that of films. It means that more people watch TV than films,” he said.

“It is not about coming down to TV or going up to films. I think it is a healthy interchange of talent. “Bachchan’s television experience thus far has included hosting the game show “Kaun Banega Crorepati”, the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, and one season of reality show “Bigg Boss”, the equivalent of “Big Brother”.

In “Yudh”, he plays businessman Yudhisthir Sikarwar who has been diagnosed with a neuro-psychological disorder and is contending with complicated family issues as well as battles with his corporate rivals.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2014