Abhishek Bachchan Reveals Directors Refused To Launch Him Due To Big B's Legacy: 'Felt Disheartened'

News18

7 hours ago

Abhishek Bachchan shares how several directors refused to launch him due to his father's legacy, calling the early rejections 'disheartening but understandable.'
While many might assume that being the son of Bollywood legends Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan would have guaranteed an easy entry into films, Abhishek Bachchan recently opened up about how that perception couldn't have been further from the truth. In an interview with Nayandeep Rakshit, the actor candidly shared that his road to debut was riddled with rejections—not because he lacked talent or passion, but because people were too intimidated by his last name.
'When you're 21 years old and filled with exuberance and zest, and you know the chatter that you keep hearing around you, 'He's gonna become an actor.' Oh, it's a big deal. Somewhere you get caught up in that," he said, describing his mindset during his early twenties when he was preparing to make his debut. But his enthusiasm quickly met a reality check. 'When you go into a meeting—and not one but several—to say, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' and very politely. None of them were rude," Abhishek revealed.
According to the actor, the refusals weren't rooted in disrespect, but rather a shared fear among directors about the expectations that would come with launching Amitabh Bachchan's son. 'I didn't understand then but I understood when I signed Refugee," he said. 'They were like, 'We don't want the responsibility of launching Amitabh Bachchan's son.' I didn't get that, but when I started working and I started seeing firsthand what my father meant to the film industry — fellow actors, directors — I said, you know, I get it."
'He's such an immense figure that people have so much love and respect for, and I think that's amazing," he added. 'I can understand why people said, 'Don't put that on us.'"
Eventually, it was director JP Dutta who stepped in and offered Abhishek his first film, Refugee (2000), which also introduced Kareena Kapoor Khan to Bollywood. Reflecting on that time, Abhishek shared how those initial setbacks impacted him emotionally. 'I get it, but when you are so young and are like 'I'm ready, but no, really? Okay.' You feel bad, you're young, you know, you haven't seen as much of the world. You're not as wise. So you feel bad."
He acknowledged that while his struggles were real, many others had it even harder. 'It's very disheartening, as any actor will tell you—not just me. I am the least qualified compared to the heartbreak many actors would have seen," he admitted.
Now a seasoned actor with critically acclaimed performances in films like Guru, Yuva, Sarkar, Dasvi, and Manmarziyaan, Abhishek Bachchan has carved his own identity in the industry. He is currently busy promoting his upcoming film Kaalidhar Laapata.
First Published:
July 06, 2025, 21:02 IST