Jaya Bachchan

Biography
Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan , born Jaya Bhaduri April 10, 1948 in Jabalpur, is an actress. She is an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. Jaya is married to Amitabh Bachchan, a legend in Hindi cinema, as well as Indian cinema in general. Her son Abhishek Bachchan is also currently a successful actor.

Jaya was born in a Bengali Kulin Brahmin family to Indira and Taroon Kumar Bhaduri, writer, journalist and stage artist. She studied in St. Joseph's Convent School, Bhopal. She started her career with a small role in Satyajit Ray's Bengali film,Mahanagar at the age ...( show more

) of 15. After initial success in her native West Bengal, she became a success after Guddi in which she played a schoolgirl obsessed with film star Dharmendra after which she moved to Mumbai and starred in many Hindi hit films, such as Jawani Diwani, Koshish, Anamika and Bawarchi. She acted with her husband Amitabh Bachchan in the hit films Zanjeer (1973), Abhimaan (1973), Chupke Chupke (1975) and Sholay (1975). Her daughter Shweta was born while Jaya and Amitabh were working on the film Sholay. Following this she retired from films and focused on raising her children. Her last film as a lead actress was Silsila (1981), also opposite her husband (incidentally "Silsila" was a surprise flop of the year). After which she stopped acting in movies. During the late 1980s she wrote the story for the film Shahenshah which starred her husband in the lead. After a gap of film appearances for 18 years, She returned to acting with Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998) and has since played mother roles which she has been praised for. In 2000 she starred in the film Fiza opposite Karisma Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan. The film was considered one of her best performances and she received the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her work. Doing a few films every year she also starred in Karan Johar's family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) with her husband again and then starred in Karan Johar's next film after that, Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) for which she again received a best supporting actress award for her performance. Her latest film is Laaga Chunari Mein Daag where she appeared opposite with son Abhishek Bachchan and her favourite actress Rani Mukerjee and Konkona Sen Sharma.

Of late, Bachchan became active in politics, notably with the Samajwadi Party and has been a Member of Parliament, representing Rajya Sabha till lately. In a recent controversy, she was disqualified from the post of MP with the charge of occupying an office of profit along with holding a position as MP as against the sub-clause (a) of Clause 1 of Article 102 of the Constitution, where an MP is not allowed to hold any office of profit. Jaya Bachchan has returned to the Upper House as MP of Samajwadi Party in July 2006. Her re-entry into parliament was a great photo op for the journalists when her husband Amitabh Bachchan accompanied her to the swearing in ceremony.

On June 3, 1973, she married actor Amitabh Bachchan. The couple have two children: Shweta Bachchan-Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan, who is also an actor. She has lived her entire married life in the public eye, yet she has always kept her distance from the media (especially when it comes to her personal life). Her marriage has seen ups and downs especially after the much-publicized affair of her husband with film actress Rekha, Amitabh's accident during the filming of 'Coolie', Amitabh's failed affair with Indian politics after becoming Member of Parliament from Allahabad, his failed relationship with the family of Rajiv Gandhi after his alleged involvement in the B.O.F.O.R.S. payback deal; financial crisis of Bachchan family in late 90's and the public outcry from Jaya against late Rajiv's wife Sonia Gandhi the leader of the ruling Congress party in India. Her son Abhishek Bachchan married Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on April 20, 2007. Her mother Indira Bhaduri resides alone in Bhopal in Central India. Jaya has two grandchildren from her daughter Shweta; Navya Naveli and Agastya Nanda.Her son-in law is Nikhil Nanda.