October 11, 2022, marks the 80th birthday of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. Big B, as he is fondly called by his fans, without a doubt India’s biggest superstar, is also one of the richest actors in the country today. However, there was a time when he was facing a severe financial crisis and was drowned in debt up to his neck.
Today, on the occasion of his birthday, while his fans have turned to Twitter to wish him by sharing numerous memorable dialogues and snippets from his countless blockbusters, another video has gone viral. In that video, the Bollywood legend discusses his difficult times and how Reliance Industries founder Dhirubhai Ambani offered to assist him after he literally turned bankrupt in the 1990s.
Just wow! pic.twitter.com/ICsFkGrFFt
— Aditya Kondawar (@aditya_kondawar) October 8, 2022
The video is reportedly from an event held in 2017 to mark the fortieth anniversary of Reliance Industries Ltd. Speaking during the event, Amitabh Bachchan stated that when Dhirubhai Ambani learned about his financial woes, he advised his son Anil Ambani to help him by giving him some money. Big B recalled the encounter and stated, “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.”
During the event, the legendary actor recalled yet another encounter with the Reliance founder. “During one of the functions to which all the big businessmen and celebrities were invited, I was also present as the guest of Anil Ambani. While I sat quietly chitchatting with Anil, Dhirubhai called me in front of the guests and said, “This boy had fallen down but got back on his own. I respect him for that.”
Years later during the annual event, Amitabh Bachchan said that those words are still more valuable to him than the amount of wealth he was offered by Dhirubhai Ambani.
Notably, in the 1990s, came Amitabh Bachchan’s career’s biggest setbacks. During those years, Big B’s movies somehow started failing so he launched India’s first entertainment firm, the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL) in 1994 with the goal of diversifying into film production, distribution, event management, talent management, and television marketing. The company enjoyed initial popularity as an innovative idea at the time, only to bankrupt Big B in a couple of years.
By 1999, the company was in shambles as it lost millions and Big B’s debts reached an all-time high of Rs 90 crore, compared to his net worth of Rs 60.52 crore in 1999.
Big B has stated in various interviews that creditors began showing up at his house to collect their money back and his renowned bungalow Pratiksha was threatened with seizure. In fact, Canara Bank had even requested permission from the Mumbai High Court to attach Pratiksha in order to recover its dues.
As it is said, all bad things must come to an end, things turned for the better for the actor when Kaun Banega Crorepati came his way. The actor accepted to host the show. The first season of KBC premiered on July 3, 2000, on Star TV and it was Amitabh Bachchan’s first time as a television host. KBC Season 1 was a roaring success.
Alongside, Big B also approached his old friend, colleague and director Yash Chopra, requesting work, and returned to Bollywood with Mohabbatein and the rest is history. He not only paid off all of his liabilities over time, but he also restored his financial security and stardom.
