In 1982, a near-fatal ‘Coolie’ accident left doctors declaring Big B ‘clinically dead’; Amitabh Bachchan now has no pulse in his wrist

Amitabh Bachchan, known as the ‘Big B’, ‘Shehenshaah’ and the ‘Star of the Millennium’, has spent decades entertaining audiences with his iconic performances and larger-than-life persona. But behind the legendary career lies a life marked by some extraordinary highs and deeply difficult lows. One of the most serious moments came in 1982, when a near-fatal accident on the sets of ‘Coolie’ left the actor battling for his life and threatened to end his career.

Years later, Bachchan recalled the traumatic incident on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ Season 13, where a light-hearted moment about checking his pulse led him to reveal a startling detail about the lasting impact of his injuries.

When Amitabh Bachchan joked about having no pulse

During one of the episodes of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ Season 13, aired as part of the show’s ‘Shandaar Shukriya’ week, Bachchan was joined by comedian and host Maniesh Paul and television actresses Additi Gupta, Disha Parmar and Chandni Sharma.


Additi Gupta, who has portrayed a doctor on screen, jokingly asked to check Bachchan’s heartbeat, referring to him as the “heartbeat of the nation”. Bachchan, known for his quick wit, instead asked her to check his pulse.

What followed left the guests surprised.

Additi Gupta could not find Bachchan’s pulse

Gupta tried checking Bachchan’s wrist but could not feel a pulse. Assuming she may have been checking incorrectly, she first checked Maniesh Paul’s pulse, which she could feel normally.

She then returned to Bachchan’s wrist and tried again, but still could not detect a pulse.

Confused, she asked, “Inki aa rahi hai, aap ki pulse kyun nahi aa rahi hai?” (“His pulse is showing, why isn’t yours?”)

Bachchan responded with his characteristic humour: “Humari jaa rahi hai, isliye nahi aa rahi hai.”

He then explained that the unusual situation was linked to the severe injuries he suffered during the filming of ‘Coolie’ in 1982.

What happened to Amitabh Bachchan on the sets of ‘Coolie’?

Bachchan recalled suffering a serious injury while filming an action sequence for ‘Coolie’. The accident left him critically injured and required prolonged hospitalisation and multiple medical procedures.

“There is no pulse on my wrist,” he said, explaining that he had been injured during the film’s shoot in 1982 and was later revived after being declared clinically dead.

According to Bachchan, doctors had to make several cuts during his treatment, including repeated incisions around his wrist to deal with internal bleeding. He said the repeated procedures eventually affected the pulse in that wrist.

“Now, I only have a pulse on my neck,” he added, once again turning the serious memory into a joke. When asked about checking his neck, Bachchan quipped, “Waha chune nahi dunga mai” (“I won’t let you touch there”).

How to check your pulse?

Checking a pulse involves placing the index and middle fingers over an artery and feeling for the rhythmic beat of blood flow. The wrist and neck are among the most commonly used pulse points, but pulses can also be felt at several other locations.

Common pulse points include the wrist, side of the neck, inside the elbow and behind the knee. The pulse gives an indication of how fast the heart is beating and can be checked by counting the beats over a set period.