When Amitabh Bachchan Helped Hussain Zaidi Escape Iraqi Militiamen: ‘I Got Kidnapped In Baghdad’ – News18

Last Updated:October 27, 2024, 15:58 IST

Amitabh Bachchan’s influence goes beyond Bollywood fame; it once played a role in rescuing investigative journalist Hussain Zaidi from Iraqi militiamen.

Amitabh Bachchan, even after 55 years in the film industry, holds onto his title as the “Shahenshah of Bollywood,” a testament to his exceptional talent and relentless dedication. With four National Film Awards for Best Actor and a fan base that spans the globe, Bachchan’s superstar status remains unmatched. His influence is so profound that it once helped author and former investigative journalist S. Hussain Zaidi out of a life-threatening situation.

Zaidi, known for his work as a celebrated crime writer and investigative journalist, was held hostage by Iraqi militiamen shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. “I wanted to talk to people close to Saddam and I was trying to get access to them when I got kidnapped in Baghdad,” Zaidi recalled in a 2015 interview with Hindustan Times.

Zaidi recounted that he was taken to a hidden location where, upon having his blindfold removed, he found himself surrounded by armed men. Among them, one stood out—a clean-shaven man with long hair. “He asked me if I was Pakistani. I said that I am Hindi, from India. Then he said something in Arabic which I didn’t understand. Later he asked: Do you know Ameesha Bakkan? I said that the only Ameesha I know is Ameesha Patel. He scolded me real bad that I didn’t know Ameesha Bakkan,” Zaidi said. The frustrated man then left briefly and returned with a still from Ramesh Sippy’s Shakti (1982). “Suddenly it fell upon me that this guy is copying Amitabh Bachchan from Shakti. That realisation made me scream with joy and that guy misunderstood that I am friends with Ameesha Bakkan (Amitabh Bachchan). He then made me write a note that if he will ever come to Mumbai, I will make him meet Amitabh Bachchan. I agreed immediately and saved my life.”

Written by Salim–Javed, Shakti starred Amitabh Bachchan alongside legendary actor Dilip Kumar, Rakhee Gulzar, Smita Patil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and Amrish Puri. It remains the only film where Bachchan and Kumar shared the screen. Among Zaidi’s notable works are Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Black Friday, My Name is Abu Salem, and Mumbai Avengers.