MUMBAI, Oct. 1 -- In a career spanning nearly five decades, Mithun Chakraborty has delineated many roles - a partially clothed tribal, an action hero, a dancing star. He stepped into Bollywood at a time when Amitabh Bachchan was the face of the action hero (Zanjeer, 1973) and Jeetendra the dancing star, popularly known as Jumping Jack.
Chakraborty straddled both worlds effortlessly to become a matinee idol; and the 1982 dance-action film "Disco Dancer" sealed his celebrity. The film was a big hit and the actor's popularity spread across Asia, the Soviet Union, eastern Europe, and Africa.
Back at home, "I am a disco dancer", the film's title track, remained on play lists at birthday parties and weddings for many years.
On Monday morning, ...