Amitabh Bachchan statue draws tourists to New Jersey fan's home

Gopi Seth's Edison home in New Jersey is now listed on Google Maps as a tourist attraction.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has devoted fans in every country of the world. Among them, is Indian American security engineer Gopi Seth, who installed a life-size statue of the actor in his New Jersey home in 2022.

Two years later, the statue, which depicts Bachchan seated in his "Kaun Banega Crorepati" posture, has become a tourist spot for many Indians visiting the area, Seth said.

“Our home has become one of the most popular tourist attractions, thanks to the Amitabh Bachchan statue. Recognized by Google Search, this site attracts a growing number of visitors each day,” the Indian American, who regards the actor as his guru (mentor) said.

Daily on average, around 20 to 25 cars carrying families visit the statue and fans often leave greeting cards and letters, expressing their admiration for the legendary actor, Seth revealed.

“The popularity of our home extends far beyond in-person visits. Enthusiastic fans post videos, photos, and tweets about their experiences, flooding social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok,” he said.

Gopi Seth and his wife at their home in Edison New Jersey, which houses the life-size statue of Amitabh Bachchan. / Courtesy of Gopi Seth

The statue was inaugurated by eminent community leader Albert Jasani in a 2022 ceremony that was attended by 600 people in Edison, often called Little India for being home to a significantly large Indian-American population. The ceremony was accompanied by bursting of fire-crackers and an impromptu dance by a fan club of the Indian superstar.

Seth, who arrived in the US from Dahod in eastern Gujarat in 1990, has been running www.BigBEFamily.com, a website for "Big B Extended Family", for the past three decades.

The website, among other things, he said is a repository of the global fans of Amitabh Bachchan. The database is shared with the Bollywood superstar. Bachchan is aware of the statue, according to Seth.

The celebrity informed him he didn't deserve this type of attention, but it didn't stop him from acting accordingly. The life-size statue of Bachchan was created in Rajasthan, manufactured, and then transported to the US.