India, Sept. 2 -- The bottom line of the Indian film industry, or anywhere in the world for that matter, is that an actor's ability to shepherd a hit determines their career graph. If one sees a spate of box-office flops over a prolonged period of time, it is safe to assume that their prospects dwindle. But one Bollywood legend has defied this logic. In a career spanning five decades, this man has won a National Award, starred in the highest-grossing Indian film of its time, and then gone on to star in a staggering 180 flops, the highest-ever for a lead actor.

Mithun Chakraborty began his acting career in 1976 with Mrinal Sen's Mrigayaa, which earned him a National Film Award, making him one of the few actors to receive it for their debu...