Over his vibrantly colorful career, which has crossed the half-century mark and is still going strong, Amitabh Bachchan was paired with several generations of heroines and held his own against many male peers, as well as older and younger generations spanning Dilip Kumar to Shah Rukh Khan. His real test, however, was to maintain the upper hand when facing accomplished character actors, ranging from dastardly villains to steadfast friends and even long-lost parents.