Jaya Bachchan

Bachchan first starred in Satyajit Ray's Bengali film, Mahanagar (1963) at the age of 15, with Anil Chatterjee and Madhabi Mukherjee. She then appeared in two more Bengali films: a 13-minute short Suman, and the comedy Dhanyee Meye (1971), where she played the role of Uttam Kumar's sister-in-law.

Inspired by her experience with Ray, she joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune and graduated with a gold medal. Hrishikesh Mukherjee cast her in Guddi (1971), to play the eponymous role of a petite school-girl obsessed with film star Dharmendra. Guddi was a commercial success, and created the girl-next-door image for her, which she was often associated with through the rest of her career. While she did venture out to play glamorous roles as in Jawani Diwani, (1972) and a semi-negative character of an amnesia-faking heroine in Anamika (1973), she was most recognised for her roles epitomising middle-class sensibility, which she played amiably in films of "middle-cinema" directors such as Gulzar, Basu Chatterjee and Mukherjee. These films include Uphaar (1971), Piya Ka Ghar (1972), Parichay (1972), Koshish (1972) and Bawarchi (1972). They also made her a superstar.

In Gulzar's Koshish, Bhaduri and Sanjeev Kumar played a deaf couple who struggle through their difficulties as disabled people. She described the film as "a learning experience" which motivated her to do social work in future.

She first acted with Amitabh Bachchan in Bansi Birju (1972), followed by B. R. Ishara's Ek Nazar also in the same year. When Amitabh had faced a string of flops and most lead heroines refused to work with him in the Salim–Javed scripted Zanjeer (1973), she agreed to step in. The film turned out to be a big hit creating Bachchan's angry-young-man image. All their successive films as a pair were huge hits – Abhimaan (1973), Chupke Chupke (1975), Mili (1975) and Sholay (1975).

Her daughter Shweta was born around the time Jaya and Amitabh were working on Sholay. Following this, she retired from films and focused on raising her children, making an exception for Yash Chopra's Silsila (1981), once again opposite her husband. During the late 1980s, she wrote the story for Shahenshah (1988), which starred her husband in the lead.

After a gap of 17 years, she returned to acting with Govind Nihalani's Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998), a film about the Naxalite movement. Her performance in the film earned critical acclaim, and earned her a second Filmfare Special Award.

In 2000, she starred alongside Karisma Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan in the crime drama Fiza as a mother longing for her son's return who goes missing during the 1993 Bombay riots. The film received critical acclaim upon release, with particular praise directed towards Bachchan's performance. Sanjeev Bariana of The Tribune opined that "Bachchan delivers a commendable performance, displaying mixed emotions through trying times delicately.", while Screen film critic Chaya Unnikrishnan noted that "Bachchan looks every bit a Muslim woman and etches out her character superbly." Moreover, it emerged as a commercial success at the box-office, grossing ₹322 million (US$7.17 million) worldwide. Fiza earned Bachchan her first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She then starred in Karan Johar's ensemble family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) with her husband and in Nikhil Advani's romantic comedy drama Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), playing Preity Zinta's mother, Jennifer Kapur, both of which also earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She starred with her son Abhishek in Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007) and Drona (2008).

In 2011, she appeared in the Bangladeshi film Meherjaan starring Victor Banerjee and Humayun Faridi. The film is based on a Bangladesh-Pakistan love story in the backdrop of the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities. In 2023, she starred alongside Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi in Karan Johar's romantic comedy family drama Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, which emerged as the third highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama noted, "Bachchan is electrifying. Her commanding presence, authoritative attitude and cold stares – this is a stand-out act that's sure to be talked about by moviegoers." Her performance in the film earned her a fourth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Jaya married actor Amitabh Bachchan, on 3 June 1973. The couple has two children: Shweta Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, who is also an actor. Shweta is married to industrialist Nikhil Nanda, grandson of Raj Kapoor, and has two children, Navya Naveli Nanda and Agastya Nanda, while Abhishek is married to actress and Miss World 1994 Aishwarya Rai with whom he has a daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan.

Bachchan's speech during the musical launch of Drona in 2008 was criticised by some sections of politicians in Maharashtra. In response to the film's director, Goldie Behl, making his introductory speech in English, she said in Hindi, "Hum UP ke log hain, isliye Hindi mein baat karenge, Maharashtra ke log maaf kijiye". (Translation: "We are people from UP, so we will speak in Hindi. People of Maharashtra, please forgive us.") Subsequently, she encouraged actress Priyanka Chopra to speak in Hindi.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray commented that she had no business referring to all the people of Maharashtra in her statement. He threatened to ban all of her films unless she apologised in a public forum for hurting the sentiments of Maharashtrians. MNS workers began to attack theatres screening The Last Lear, which starred her husband. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also criticised her statement, "After making all your success and fortune in Mumbai, if you feel like saying that we are from UP, it's very unfortunate". Amitabh tendered an apology for her statement on her behalf.

Bachchan is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. One of the highest paid actress of the 1970s, in 2022, she was placed in Outlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actresses" list. Filmfare included Bachchan's performances in Abhimaan in its Bollywood's "80 Iconic Performances" list.

Writing for Times of India, Subhash K. Jha termed her an "exceptional talent" and noted, "During her brief innings of superstardom she was a far bigger star than her husband." Samriddhi Patwa of Filmfare noted, "The Bengali actress who had long hair, a sweet smile, and significant roles conquered the silver screen." Dinesh Raheja of Rediff.com termed her an "outspoken actress" and noted, "Dimunitive she may be, but Jaya Bhaduri has managed to cast a long shadow over the world of Hindi films." Indian Express said that her filmography is "full of gems" and added, "The Bengali beauty ruled the silver screen with meaningful roles." Kanika Katyal of Firstpost noted, "Full of vigour and idealism, Jaya found herself at home in the "middle cinema" of the 1970s", and added, "Each time she emoted, the camera was firmly in her grip."