Despite Having Rs 90 Cr Debt, Amitabh Bachchan Refused Dhirubhai Ambani's Help, Borrowed Money From Staff
Did you know there was a time when Amitabh Bachchan was on the brink of bankruptcy and in a debt of Rs 90 crores? Even at that time, Big B refused to take money from Dhirubhai Ambani. Creditors used to land at his door - abuse, threaten and demand money, Amitabh Bachchan had himself revealed in 2013 interview with Mail Today. The debt was so deep that his iconic bungalow Pratiksha, was at risk of getting seized.
There's no one like Amitabh Bachchan. No star, no superstar, nobody can ever come close to his landmark achievements. The man, who was dissed for being too tall and the deep baritone voice, turned his shortcomings into his strengths. When he fell sick, the whole nation conducted Poojas and prayed for him. His journey however, hasn't been easy.
Did you know there was a time when Amitabh Bachchan was on the brink of bankruptcy and in a debt of Rs 90 crores?
This was in 1999, Amitabh Bachchan had put all his money into his production venture Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL) which in turn suffered major losses.
He was neck-deep in debt. So much so, that he had to borrow money from his staff to put food on the table. His son Abhishek Bachchan revealed the same during an interview.
AFP
"I can¡¯t be here sitting in Boston when my father doesn¡¯t know how he¡¯s going to get dinner. And that¡¯s how bad it was. And he said it publicly. He had to borrow money from his staff to put food on the table. I just felt morally obliged to be with him. I called him and I said ¡®You know dad, I think I want to leave college halfway and come back and just be with you, try and help you in whatever way. At least you¡¯ll know that your boy is next to you and he¡¯s there for you," he said during an interaction with YouTuber.
Also Read: Arshad Warsi Reveals Amitabh Bachchan's Production Company Abandoned Him After Launching Him
Amitabh Bachchan owed more than Rs 90 crores to different people.
Creditors used to land at his door - abuse, threaten and demand money, Amitabh Bachchan had himself revealed in 2013 interview with Mail Today. The debt was so deep that his iconic bungalow Pratiksha, was at risk of getting seized.
"I paid back one and all, including Doordarshan. When they asked for the interest component, I did commercials in lieu for them. 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," he said.
Even at that time, Big B refused to take money from Dhirubhai Ambani
Revealing why he refused, Big B said, "The sum of money he was attempting to present me would have ended all my troubles. I got emotional at his generosity. However, I felt that I won¡¯t be able to repay his generosity. By God¡¯s grace, times changed. I began getting work and I paid off all of the loans."
Amitabh Bachchan narrating his bankruptcy incident and how then RIL chairman Dhirubhai Ambani expressed his intent to help him
¡ª Fundamental Blasters (@FundamentalGems) August 21, 2020
A nice video pic.twitter.com/14Yodzkeiv
Also Read: People Dance To Amitabh Bachchan's Song 'Main Hoon Don' In A Mumbai Theatre, Video Goes Viral
How Amitabh Bachchan paid his debt
Even at that time what saved him was his love for acting. Amitabh Bachchan approached Yash Chopra for work and that is how he was cast in Mohabbatein. Despite people around him being sceptical of his decision to do a television show, he turned host for Kaun Banega Crorepati. What's more, he also did some advertisements for Doordarshan for free to pay for the interest component, and thus paid all the money back.
Today, Amitabh Bachchan is celebrating his 80th birthday. The megastar got a heartfelt wish from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A very happy 80th birthday to Amitabh Bachchan Ji. He is one of India¡¯s most remarkable film personalities who has enthralled and entertained audiences across generations. May he lead a long and healthy life. @SrBachchan
¡ª Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 11, 2022
Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan Breaks Into Tears After He Gets A Heartwarming Surprise On The Sets Of KBC
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Garima Satija leads the Entertainment vertical of Indiatimes. A storyteller at heart who enjoys the thrill of writing, she is sometimes found daydreaming about living the lives of movie characters. Also, she hates talking about herself in the third person.
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