Indian film star Amitabh Bachchan has been voted the greatest star of stage or screen by BBC News Online users.

Mr Bachchan was voted in by a large margin, pushing Sir Laurence Olivier into second place, followed by Sir Alec Guinness in third.

And in what will perhaps be a surprise to many film and theatre fans, cartoon character Homer Simpson polled in at fifth place, beating Robert De Niro and Marylin Monroe.

Many people in the western world will not have heard of Amitabh Bachchan, 56, but he remains one of Bollywood's biggest stars, having appeared in more than 100 films in three decades. He made his name in the seventies and eighties as an action hero, a swashbuckling star of Hindi films.





He became particularly known in the 1970s for thrillers like Deewar and Zanjeer, and was dubbed India's first 'angry young man'. He played mainly violent anti-heroes, and was admired by women for his handsome looks and deep voice. His fans still worship him. When he was seriously injured during the filming of Coolie (1983), thousands of fans kept vigil outside his hospital and millions more prayed for his recovery. Stint in politics Amitabh Bachchan announced his retirement more than 10 years ago when, on a wave of public support, he won a parliamentary seat in his home town of Allahabad.



