Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) 16 contestant Kaushalendra Pratap Singh recently recounted a story that showcases the incredible toughness of the show's host, Amitabh Bachchan. He mentioned that while filming for Kaala Patthar back in 1979, Amitabh was sprayed with contaminated water, which made him feel unwell. However, Kaushalendra noted that Amitabh pushed through and kept filming without stopping. 

A KBC contestant praises Amitabh for his dedication

Kaushalendra lives in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, and acts as a go-between for the government and coal buyers. He mentioned, “When it comes to coal, I can’t help but think about how you filmed Kaala Patthar after the Jharia Chasnala disaster, a moment that still sticks with a lot of people.”

Amitabh and the Black Stone

He went on to say that the whole thing happened because a dam burst. While they were filming, some contaminated water got sprayed on Amitabh, which really impacted his health. But he pushed through and kept filming without stopping, showing incredible dedication and strength. Kaushalendra also mentioned that Amitabh's dad, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, wrote about this event in one of his books.

Here's some additional info on Kaala Patthar

Kaala Patthar is a 1979 action drama directed by Yash Chopra. The movie draws inspiration from the Chasnala mining disaster and features a stellar cast including Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakhee Gulzar, Shatrughan Sinha, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Prem Chopra, and Parikshit Sahni. Additionally, Sanjeev Kumar and Poonam Dhillon make special appearances in the film.

Amitabh's approach is influenced by the Mahabharata

In the episode, Kaushalendra shared a cool tidbit about Amitabh's eating habits—he always faces north while having his meals. This quirk is tied to the Mahabharata, which claims, "Eating while facing north leads to truth." Amitabh's late father, the renowned poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, once said, "I seek truth, and Amitabh seeks a long life." He even joked that if Amitabh took his spot at the table, they could both gain from a little swap of truth and longevity.

Amitabh talks about honesty and living a long life

Amitabh said, “Nah, I wouldn’t pick longevity over truth. I’d rather stick with the truth.” He also mentioned, “We had a round dining table at home. I used to sit facing north, and Babuji would sit facing east.”

KBC 16 is on every Monday to Friday at 9 pm, exclusively on Sony Entertainment Television.

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