UPDATED: January 25, 2021 10:19 IST
Amitabh Bachchan emerged as No. 1 second time in a row, with 29% respondents backing him against 23% in August 2020.
The year 2020 was a bellwether one for the Indian entertainment industry. With cinemas shut for eight months, OTT platforms had a field day, capitalising on the captive audience. The change in viewing patterns also means that for the first time, India Today's Mood of the Nation poll asked respondents to identify their favourite actors in both films and web series.
On the film front, old was the gold standard. Amitabh Bachchan, 78, raced past Akshay Kumar after tying with him in the August 2020 edition. A month after recuperating from the coronavirus, the actor was back on set to host the popular quiz show, Kaun Banega Crorepati. Bachchan's streaming debut Gulabo Sitabo was also received warmly, while Akshay's Laxmmi got the thumbs down. Still, it shouldn't sully his reputation given that he's the de facto face for the ruling dispensation's initiatives such as donations for the new Ram temple in Ayodhya.