Amitabh Bachchan is one of the biggest superstars that Indian cinema has ever produced. Known as the ‘Shahenshah’ of Bollywood, his journey to stardom has been full of highs, lows and crushing moments that tested his strength.
While he conquered the world of cinema, the most toughest challenge came not on-screen, but in his personal life, when he started his own company and went bankrupt, leaving him with debts of nearly 90 crore.
Initially, Big B’s career didn’t start on a successful note. His first few films failed to impressed masses and critics. But in 1973, Zanjeer changed his destiny and he tested real success after that. From there, he rose to superstardom and gave Indian cinema some of his most iconic performances.
When did Amitabh Bachchan shift his focus from acting to business?
However in mid-1990s, Amitabh Bachchan decided to venture into business by starting his own company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL). Unfortunately, his entertainment establishment failed to run successfully, and became a nightmare. ABCL’s financial mismanagement led him into massive debts of nearly Rs 90 crore.
At that time, Abhishek Bachchan, who went to Boston University for further studies, rushed back after he heard his father’s financial struggles. He made a bold decision to quit college midway and support Big B.
While talking to Ranveer Allahbadia on his podcast, Abhishek had recalled, “My father was going through this really rough time. He had started this business called ABCL I said, I can’t be here in Boston when my father doesn’t know how he’s going to get dinner. And that’s how bad it was.”
What did Abhishek Bachchan tell Amitabh during his lowest phase?
Abhishek said that it was his ‘moral’ responsibility to stand by his father’s side. He then described how he told his father about quitting collage. Amitabh called him to his study late night and reportedly told him, “Movies aren’t working out, the business isn’t working out, nothing is working out.”
But through it all, Amitabh Bachchan decided to fight back and never gave up. With the unwavering support of his family, Amitabh slowly built his career from the scratch. He went back to films, and took on some roles and did shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati to clear all his loans.
Today, at the age of 82, Amitabh Bachchan continues to work, inspiring generation of actors across with his hard work, dedication and perseverance.