Amitabh Bachchan on Gurpurab Reveals His Half-Sikh Roots

On Gurpurab today, it’s a moment to remember a lesser-known facet of Amitabh Bachchan’s cultural legacy. The Bollywood icon has revealed that he is half-Sikh, tracing his maternal roots to a Sikh family from Punjab.

During an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 16, Amitabh opened up about his parents’ marriage and expressed discomfort with the term “inter-caste” to describe it. Speaking to a contestant, he said, “I find it a little awkward to call it inter-caste. My father was from Uttar Pradesh, and my mother was from a Sikh family. I believe I am half-Sardar. When I was born, my masis (maternal aunts) would say, ‘Kinna sona putar hai, sadda Amitabh Singh (What a beautiful son, our Amitabh Singh).’”

Amitabh has often reflected on his Sikh heritage. On a past Gurpurab, he shared memories of his early years in Allahabad, describing how his mother’s devotion left a lasting impression. “Those early years in Allahabad, when Ma recited and sang the eternal pious and divine words of the Gurbani, in my ears… ‘tati vaar na jaavaee…’ My Mother, as you know, a Sikh, Teji Kaur Suri, my grandfather Sardar Khazan Singh Suri, my Grandmother a Sodi, and whose family, her brothers and my Mother’s Mama’s, were the Prabandhaks of the Anantpur Sahib Gurudwara…” he wrote.

His recollections highlight the deep influence of his mother’s faith, with the melodious renditions of Gurbani during Gurpurab celebrations remaining etched in his memory.

About Amitabh Bachchan’s Parents:

• Harivansh Rai Bachchan: Renowned Hindi poet and writer, celebrated for Madhushala, a key figure in the Nayi Kavita literary movement, and Padma Bhushan awardee (1976). Born in Babupatti, United Provinces, he adopted “Bachchan” as his pen name.

• Teji Bachchan (née Teji Kaur Suri): Hailing from a Sikh family in Lyallpur, Punjab (now in Pakistan), she was a social activist and theatre enthusiast. She met Harivansh at a college event in Lahore, marrying him in Allahabad in 1941.

Amitabh and Teji’s marriage, much like Amitabh’s own marriage to Jaya Bhaduri in 1973, bridged regional lines, reflecting a shared tradition of embracing diverse cultural backgrounds.