Birthday special: 5 unforgettable movies that made Jaya Bachchan a force to be reckoned with

There’s no denying that Jaya Bachchan was one of the most respected and accomplished performers in the film industry during the 1970s She found a foothold in Bollywood due to her impressive screen presence, versatility as an artiste and sincere performances. On Thursday, as the original ‘Bachchan bahu’ turns a year older, here is a look at five films that established her as a force to be reckoned with.

Guddi

One of the biggest surprise hits of 1973, Guddi featured Jaya in the role of a Dharmendra fan and gave cinephiles a closer look into the industry. The film, helmed by ace filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the enjoyable drama had cameos from the likes of Rajesh Khanna, Deven Verma, and Pran. It was later remade in Tamil as Cinema Paithiyam.

Abhimaan

Considered to be one of the finest movies of all time, Abhimaan revolved around how professional rivalry/jealousy creates a rift between a once in love couple. Featuring the powerhouse performer as the leading lady opposite Amitabh Bachchan, the hard-hitting drama was similar to the Hollywood classic A Star is Born.

Sholay

While Sholay primarily focused on the dynamics between Amjad Khan and Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya managed to make an impact courtesy her subdued reel romance with Big B. Essaying the role of a widow, she delivered a beautifully restrained performance and impressed a section of the audience.

Kora Kagaz

A remake of the Bengali film Saath Pake Bandha, Kora Kagaz revolved around how a misunderstanding wrecked the relationship between a couple. Helmed by Anil Ganguly, the film received rave reviews from all corners and helped Jaya bag the Filmfare award for ‘Best Actress’.

Nauker

Released in 1979, Nauker featured Jaya in the role of an innocent servant and hit the right notes with its entertaining screenplay, The Sanjeev Kumar starrer, helmed by Ismail Memom, is perhaps best remembered for the iconic Paloo Latke song.