Kaala Patthar

Bachchan is Vijay, a disgraced sea captain who once abandoned a sinking ship, leaving hundreds to die. Shattered by guilt and shame, he now works in a notoriously deadly coal mine. Though indifferent to the danger to himself, he looks out for his fellow workers and the residents of the mining town – and kindles a flame with the town’s doctor (Rakhee Gulzar). Shashi Kapoor co-stars as a rabble-rousing engineer who organises the miners against their predatory boss (Prem Chopra). When the boss’s rapacious greed leads to disaster, Vijay’s heroics give him a shot at redemption. The screenplay’s unabashed anticapitalism and focus on the power of collective action delivers an underdog story that audiences can root for. Nominated for eight Filmfare Awards in 1980.