Mumbai witnessed an unusual sight outside Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan's residence, Jalsa, on Sunday evening (September 21) as he not only greeted his fans, but also handed out helmets. The 82-year-old actor said he was inspired by Raghvendra Kumar, a contestant on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), who is popularly known as the "Helmet Man of India."
Bachchan has been meeting fans outside his home every Sunday since 1982, a ritual that draws hundreds of admirers eager for a glimpse of the veteran actor. While he often waves and interacts briefly, this week’s gathering had a message of safety attached to it.
In a video shared on his X (formerly known as Twitter) handle, Bachchan explained that his decision to distribute helmets was influenced by Kumar's work. "Honoured to have met the 'HELMET MAN' at KBC… who voluntarily gives out helmets to bike riders for safety. A learning for me… so I followed and gave out at the Sunday Fan meet… dandiya sticks for dandiya and helmets to as many as I could. Each day is a learning," he wrote.
The actor also distributed dandiya sticks to his fans ahead of Navratri.
For those unversed, Raghvendra Kumar has earned recognition across India for his efforts to promote road safety. He has distributed thousands of helmets to riders who do not own them and continues to campaign against road accidents. Responding to Bachchan’s post, Kumar expressed his gratitude, calling the actor’s gesture the "greatest award" of his life.
"Respected @SrBachchan Sir, your words and blessings are the greatest award of my life. I had never imagined that in our very first meeting, I would be able to plant a seed of safety in your heart. But in just two days, you nurtured that seed into a big tree, and by giving this message to the world, you have made this bond eternal,” Kumar wrote.
He further added that Bachchan’s involvement has given momentum to his dream of creating a road accident-free India.
Meanwhile. on the work front, Big B is currently hosting the 17th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati.
He was last seen in Nag Ashwin's Kalki 2898 AD, where he played the role of Ashwatthama. The film also featured Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani.
