Mumbai, Sep 30 (IANS): Ahead of the 81st birthday of the veteran Bollywood megastar, Amitabh Bachchan, several of his memorabilia are up for auction. With a career spanning more than five decades, Big B is celebrated not just as an actor but as a symbol of cinematic excellence.

Titled ‘Bachchanalia’, the event, which pays tribute to his illustrious career, will offer collectors and fans a chance to own a historic piece of his phenomenal cinematic journey. It is scheduled to take place from October 5-7.

The items to go under the hammer include iconic film posters, photographs, lobby cards, showcards, photographs, film booklets and original artworks. The auction is being organised by deRivaz & Ives.

Talking about the auction, deRivaz & Ives spokesperson said: "We at deRivaz & Ives are developing our Film Memorabilia Department at a global scale this year with iconic sales on Bharat & Barsaat, Satyajit Ray, Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Kapoor, Feminine Icons in 2023 and with Hollywood auctions starting from 2024."

“This focus on the superstar and iconic personality Amitabh Bachchan is a carefully curated sale on his incredible repertoire across five decades of a variety of roles that have made him an international icon. We hope this endeavour delights his fans and admirers across the globe and helps India preserve her paper-based cinematic heritage a bit deeper," the spokesperson added.

The key highlights of the auction are ‘Zanjeer’ showcards, a ‘Deewaar’ showcard, ‘Faraar’ showcards set, the ‘Sholay’ photographic stills, four private photographs from Ramesh Sippy's exclusive party held after the release of ‘Sholay’, rare posters from ‘Majboor’, ‘Mr. Natwarlal’, ‘The Great Gambler’, ‘Kaalia’, ‘Naseeb’, ‘Silsila’, and a rare studio portrait of Amitabh shot by celebrated glamour photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha