By: Rajdeep Gupta

Reigning or rather 'dominating' would be the suitable word to use for the superstar Amitabh Bachchan's tenure in Bollywood. He was the agni-missile of 70's and quite early 80's whose name was enough to pull audience. Still a potent force he surely has scaled heights thanks largely to the beautiful co-actress who worked with him. Be it the ever glamorous Rekha or the svelte Zeenat Aman, the pairs have been like shining diamonds in the silver screen. We thus talk about some of the leading ladies who worked with the superstar.

JAYA BACHCHAN (now JAYA BHADURI) - No body would have fancied that the 'lambu' would fall for 'Guddi', but they did. Couples in real life their love blossomed on the sets of GUDDI (Amitabh made a special appearance) and they married soon after. Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya earned them star status in the movies ABHIMAAN and CHUPKE CHUPKE. Both them excelled in their career and did seven movies together all of them mega success, MILI, ZANJEER & SILSILA to name a few.

REKHA - Whenever the name of the hottest pair comes up in Bollywood, it has to have the mention of Rekha and Amitabh. They ignited the screen with their elegance. Rekha as Zohra Bhai asking Amitabh as Sikandar to not drink still haunts the audience. Together, the pair did 11 movies amongst which KHOON PASINA, DO ANJAANE, MUQUADAR KA SIKANDAR, the blockbuster SHOLAY & the unforgettable SILSILA (still believed to based on their reel life affair.) are worth-mentioned. 

ZEENAT AMAN - Sexy doll of Dev Anand got along with Big B in seven movies. They really did wonders in movies like DON, THE GREAT GAMBLER, LAWARIS and PUKAR.

PARVEEN BABI - They were perfect as per as dancing pair were concerned. Dancing with a 6 feet 9 inch guy was surely fun. She did eight movies with him amongst which MAJBOOR, DEEWAR, AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY, SHAAN & KAALIA are worth mentioning.

RAKHEE GULZAR - A lover, wife and a mother, Rakhee had dawn every shade alongside him. Has the distinction of been in his movie for the maximum times (12), Rakhee has also acted with him in a Bengali film ANUSHANDHAN (His lone Bengali film) later made into BARSAT KI EK RAAT. Hits include are TRISHUL, KABHI KABHI, KASME WAADE and EK RISHTA.

HEMA MALINI - A dream girl to millions she has paired him in nine films. SAATE PE SAATE is one of their hits. Interesting is now that both of the stars kids are finding it hard to find a room in Bollywood.

 WAHEEDA REHMAN - Like Rakhee she too has been his lover, wife and mother. They did six movies together and all of them fared well in the box-office.

SRIDEVI - Early 80's and it was not easy to pair him with the younger lot but she did the job quite well in INQUILAB as an estranged wife and in AANDHA KANOON as a lover. Come 90's she was again in the big budget KHUDA GAWA as Benazir. The movie too did well.

 SMITA PATIL- Her two movies with him have been super-duper hit in Bollywood. Can one forget the soft-spoken lady in the rain song "Aaj Rapat Jayion.." in NAMAK HALAL and playing a hotel singer in Ramesh Sippy's SHAKTI? Truly they were class apart!

The list can go on and it won't stop. Today Big B is no more dancing across the trees with its heroines. I have tried to put forward the best actress I thought worked with him and might have missed some. But whoever the lady was it was a sheer magic to watch them in the screen.

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