Born on 23 January 1926, Bal Keshav Thackeray or famously known as Bala Saheb Thackeray, was the founder of a right-winged, pro-Marathi political party, Shiv Sena. The eminent Maratha leader was named as Hindu Hruday Samrath? (king of Hindu hearts) by his followers.
Widely known for his unique speaking style and strict behaviour, Thackeray was loved and admired beyond party lines for his honest and straightforward nature. Today, on the birth anniversary of this late veteran leader, let us look at the incident when he saved the life of Bollywoods megastar Amitabh Bachchan in 1982.
It was during the time when Bachchan was shooting for his film Coolie? in Bangalore. While filming an action sequence, Bachchan was seriously injured by a table, which ruptured his lower abdomen and left kidney. The producers rushed him to the hospital and later shifted him to Mumbai by air.
Mumbai was experiencing heavy rain due to monsoon and no ambulance was ready to take Big B to the hospital. Soon the news reached to Balasaheb and he arranged one of Shiv Senas ambulances for Big Bs rescue. Thackeray had also sent a few party workers to assist in the process.
The ambulance reached out in time and deported Bachchan safely to the hospital. Big B made a heroic recovery from the injury and resumed shooting in 1983. Coolie was super-hit on the silver screen and made Rs 18 crore (approx.) on the Box Office.
Remembering this incident, Big B once said, It is because of him (Balasaheb) that I’m alive today. I was very close to him and he treated me as a family member. He not only saved my life but also guided me through Boforce scandal.
Big B met Thackeray while he was counting his last breaths and described it as a heart-breaking? incident. Balasaheb rested in peace on 17 November 2012 and thousands of security officers were deployed in Mumbai to maintain law-order.