Bollywood’s Infatuation With 786

Amitabh Bachchan in Deewaar

Amitabh Bachchan’s biggest contribution to Indian culture is his promotion of the number 786 as a symbol of divine power. Before he became a popular actor, 786 was not being mythologized and idealized in Bollywood movies as a talisman, which offers round the clock protection from all kinds of dangers and enables people to overcome tough circumstances. 

In his 786th tweet (he is obsessed with numbers and keeps a count of his tweets), posted on July 27, 2012, Amitabh recalled the power of 786: “T 786 - #T786 Bismillah ir Rahman nir Rahim...In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Kind... the significance of the number.” 

Amitabh is a flat earther—anyone who believes that a number has divine power would have no problem in believing that earth is flat. He claims that he survived the accident in 1983, during the shooting of the film Coolie, because he was wearing this number. This is his propaganda; super-in-your-face. He is probably as weird in real life as the characters that he plays in his movies. 

With the success of Amitabh’s movies like Deewaar and Coolie (remember his 'Billa No.786’), which propagate the idea that 786 is endued with divine powers, this number became a filmy infatuation. In the footsteps of Amitabh several other Bollywood actors jumped into the 786 bandwagon. 

Shah Rukh Khan is ‘Qaidi No.786’ in the film Veer-Zaara. Akshay Kumar has 786 etched in the destiny line of his palm in the film Khiladi 786. Chiranjeevi is the prisoner number 786 in the film Khaidi No.786. Jackie Shroff wears a pacemaker with 786 written on it in the film Allah Rakha. Ajay Devgn drives a car whose number is MRH 786 in the film Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. 

Such is Bollywood’s fascination for 786 that there are a number of films in which this number is depicted randomly—in road signs, vehicle numbers, milestones—without any effort being made to connect it to the film’s story.  

Due to the promotion of 786 in Bollywood films, many Hindus have been brainwashed into believing that this number can enable them to overcome their personal problems. Collecting currency notes with 786 in their serial number has become a national pastime. Some folks will pay twice the value for a note with 786. A mobile number with 786 is considered lucky. Some believe that a vehicle with 786 in the number plate is less likely to have an accident. 

The number 786 has nothing to do with Hinduism; Its divine power is an Islamic concept. A numerology equation in Arabic literature converts the words Besm Allah AlRahman AlRahim (In the Name of Allah the Compassionate the Merciful) into the number 786. Thanks to Bollywood’s propaganda, an Islamic number has become a Hindu obsession.