Amitabh Bachchan's Miraculous Recovery: From Near-Fatal Illness to Iconic Comeback

On October 6, 2025, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discoveries on peripheral immune tolerance. This breakthrough has shed new light on the remarkable journey of Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, who overcame a life-threatening illness over four decades ago.

In 1984, while shooting for the film Mard in Bengaluru, Bachchan first experienced the symptoms of myasthenia gravis (MG), a rare autoimmune disorder that causes fluctuating muscle weakness. He struggled with simple tasks like drinking water, and doctors warned that he may never act again. However, after a prolonged period of treatment and rest, Bachchan made a miraculous recovery, going on to star in one of his most iconic films, Shahenshah.

The Nobel-winning discovery has now revealed the underlying mechanism behind conditions like MG. The laureates identified special immune system "security guards" known as regulatory T cells, whose job is to prevent the body's immune system from attacking its own tissues. When this tolerance fails, it can lead to autoimmune diseases such as the one Bachchan battled.

Bachchan's journey serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the ongoing advancements in medical science. His story offers hope and inspiration to those facing similar challenges, as the world continues to uncover the mysteries behind rare and debilitating conditions.