Latest news with #AmitabhBachchanCorporationLimited
India.com
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
'He didn't known where to get dinner...' Abhishek Bachchan recalls Amitabh Bachchan's darkest days, sacrificed college to clear his Rs 90 crore debt
'He didn't known where to get dinner...' Abhishek Bachchan recalls Amitabh Bachchan's darkest days, sacrificed college to clear his Rs 90 crore debt 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.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Big B faced his biggest battle: How Amitabh Bachchan fought Rs 90 crore debt, and his son Abhishek became his 'strongest' backup
Amitabh Bachchan's life has been nothing short of a Bollywood script, full of highs, lows, and jaw-dropping twists. Known as the 'Shahenshah' of Hindi cinema today, Big B had once been dismissed as a 'failed newcomer.' But while he eventually conquered the silver screen, his toughest challenge came not from cinema, but from real life, when his company went bankrupt and he was left with debts of nearly Rs 90 crore. From early failures to stardom In the beginning, Amitabh's acting career didn't look promising. Many of his first few films failed to click with the audience. But in 1973, Zanjeer changed everything. The film was a major success and launched him into superstardom. Over the next two decades, he became a name every Indian household knew and loved. ABCL: A risk that went wrong Things changed in the mid-1990s. Amitabh ventured into business with Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL), hoping to make a mark in film production, event management, and entertainment. But the gamble didn't pay off. In an India Today interview, Amitabh described this phase as 'one of the darkest periods' of his career. He shared, 'I can never forget how creditors used to land at our door, be abusive, threatening and demanding, and worse still, when they came for 'kudkee' at Prateeksha, our residence.' ABCL collapsed under financial mismanagement, leaving Amitabh with mounting debts that crossed Rs 90 crore. Live Events Abhishek leaves Boston to stand by his father At that time, Abhishek Bachchan was studying in Boston University. But when he learned of his father's financial struggles, he made a bold decision to leave college halfway. In an episode of Ranveer Allahbadia's podcast, Abhishek revealed: '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.' Abhishek further said he felt 'morally obliged' to be by his father's side. When he told Amitabh about quitting college, the actor reportedly called him to his study late one night and laid out the situation: 'Movies aren't working out, the business isn't working out, nothing is working out.' Despite this bleak outlook, Amitabh never gave up. With the support of his wife Jaya Bachchan and son Abhishek, he slowly rebuilt his career from scratch. From bankruptcy to blockbuster again Amitabh went back to acting and took on roles in films, TV commercials, and shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati to repay debts. Over the years, he cleared all his loans, proving once again that resilience can bring even legends back from the brink. Today, the Bachchans are among the most respected families in Indian cinema. Amitabh continues to work at the age of 82. After making his Tamil debut in Vettaiyan, he is now set to appear in the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD and in Section 84 directed by Ribhu Dasgupta. Abhishek, too, has built his own career, recently starring in the OTT release Kaalidhar Laapata, and currently filming for King, which stars Shah Rukh Khan. Inputs from TOI
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Amitabh Bachchan reveals turning down commercial offers to maintain serious actor image in old interview: 'I was offered Rs 10,000 for an ad... I was earning Rs 50 a month'
, now a household name and a major brand ambassador, wasn't always keen on endorsing products. Despite struggling financially in the 1960s, earning just Rs 50 for radio spots, he turned down an offer of Rs 10,000 for an advertisement. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now At the time, Bachchan was focused solely on establishing himself as a serious actor and felt that modeling for ads would distract him from his ultimate goal. Even though he was living in difficult conditions, sleeping on benches near Marine Drive, he chose his passion over the temptation of quick money. Turning Down Lucrative Offers for the Sake of Acting In a 1999 interview with Vir Sanghvi, Amitabh Bachchan revealed that during his early days in Mumbai, he was approached by ad agencies with lucrative offers. However, he chose to resist the temptation, even when offered Rs 10,000 for an advertisement, a significant sum at the time compared to his Rs 50 monthly earnings from radio spots. Bachchan explained that he felt taking up such offers would divert him from his goal of being recognized as a serious actor. Financial Strain and Refusing Ads Amid Hardships This interview took place during a challenging time for Bachchan, when his company ABCL (Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited) was facing difficulties. Despite the financial strain, he admitted to endorsing brands to bring in money for the company. Reflecting on his early days in Mumbai, Bachchan shared that he had once been willing to drive a cab if his acting career didn't take off. He mentioned that all he had when he arrived in the city was a driving license, with his sole focus being to make it as an actor. Living on the Streets, But Staying True to His Dream As time passed, Bachchan's situation grew more dire, and he struggled to find a place to stay. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now At one point, he was forced to sleep on the streets. Despite the hardships, he remained firm in his decision not to appear in advertisements. He recalled spending a few days on the benches of Marine Drive, surrounded by large rats, as his living situation became more difficult. Bachchan explained that he had limited options, and the time spent with friends was growing short as he didn't want to overstay his welcome. A Shift in Perspective and Embracing Brand Endorsements Over time, Bachchan's perspective changed as his career soared. After cementing his status as one of Bollywood's biggest stars, he gradually embraced brand endorsements. Today, he is seen endorsing a wide range of products, a stark contrast to his earlier stance. With a filmography that includes iconic films like Zanjeer (1973), Sholay (1975), Deewar (1975), Don (1978), and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Bachchan remains one of the most legendary figures in Indian cinema.
Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Amitabh Bachchan was earning Rs 50 when he refused a pay cheque of Rs 10,000, slept on Marine Drive benches with rats: ‘Didn't have a place to stay'
Amitabh Bachchan may be the most recognisable face in the history of Bollywood. The actor has appeared in some of the most popular Hindi films of all time, and in the last couple of decades, he has endorsed some of the biggest brands in the country. But, Bachchan wasn't always comfortable with the idea of brand endorsements. So much so that even when he was making just Rs 50 for doing radio spots in the 1960s, he refused Rs 10,000 for an ad. At this point, Bachchan felt that since his sole focus was to become an actor in the movies and modelling in ads would be a distraction. So he was ready to let go of the temptation even though he was sleeping at the benches on Marine Drive with rats as his neighbours. In an old interview from 1999 with Vir Sanghvi, Bachchan admitted that ad agencies approached him in his early days in the city but his stance on modelling in ads was quite different at that time. He decided to 'resist the temptation' as he wanted to be considered a serious actor. 'There were opportunities then, too, when ad agencies approached me. I was offered Rs 10,000 for an ad, which was huge money since I was earning Rs 50 a month doing radio spots. But I felt doing an ad would take something away from me,' he shared. ALSO READ: Mr India was originally conceived for Amitabh Bachchan before Salim-Javed's split, Javed Akhtar reveals: 'I developed it completely on my own' This interview came right around the time when Bachchan's company ABCL (Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited) was going through a rough patch. He had even admitted that he was bringing in the money to his company by endorsing a few brands. Bachchan shared that he was ready to drive a can in the city, instead of doing ads. 'I came to Bombay with a driving license, and that's about it. It said if I don't become an actor, I will drive a cab,' he said and added, 'The whole intention was to act.' But the situation turned dire as time went by and he found it difficult to keep a roof over his head. At one point, he had to resort to sleeping on the streets but even then, he was certain that he wouldn't appear in ads. 'I didn't have a place to stay. You know there is a limited amount of time you can spend with friends because you're barging into their house. So I spent a couple of days on Marine Drive benches with some of the largest rats I have seen in my life,' he said. It is safe to say that Bachchan moved away from that philosophy later in his career. After establishing himself as arguably the biggest star of Bollywood, he can now be seen endorsing all kinds of products. The actor has a stellar filmography to boast, which consists of films like Zanjeer (1973), Sholay (1975), Deewar (1975), Don (1978) and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977). He continues to be one of the biggest stars that Indian cinema has ever seen.
