MUMBAI: Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, 77, tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday and was admitted to hospital in Mumbai, with his actor son Abhishek — who also announced he had the virus — saying both cases were mild.

“I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital,” Amitabh Bach­chan told his 43 million Twitter followers. “All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are req­uested to please get themselves tested!”

His son Abhishek added “both of us having mild symptoms have been admitted to hospital ... I request all to stay calm and not panic.”

Millions of Indians revere Amitabh Bachchan, hanging on his every word, seeking his blessings and congregating outside his Mumbai bungalow every year on Oct 11, his birthday.

Affectionately known as “Big B”, he shot to stardom in the early 1970s in huge hit movies such as Zanjeer and Sholay.

His films still open to packed cinemas across India but his new movie — comedy-drama Gulabo Sitabo — was released online due to coronavirus restrictions closing cinemas.

Abhishek, 44, is also a successful Bollywood actor and producer, and is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai.

India’s nationwide coronavirus toll rose on Saturday to 820,916 cases — the third highest in the world — with 22,123 deaths.

Bollywood recently resumed film shoots after a months-long hiatus due to the nationwide lockdown since late March.

Amitabh is the doyen of India’s movie industry, and his career has branched into television presenting, business and politics, as well as countless commercial endorsements. Acc­ording to local media, he was being treated at Mumbai’s Nanavati hospital.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2020