After years of divorce rumours and relentless online chatter around his marriage, actor Abhishek Bachchan has finally addressed his relationship with wife, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

In a recent interview with YouTuber-actor Lilly Singh, he emphasized that their bond has always been rooted in a “partnership”, even calling “severe ego” a defining aspect of how they function as a couple.

“Through our courtship, our engagement, and our marriage, it was always about partnership. There was no discussion like, ‘I will bring the food, and you take care of the house’. It flows very naturally. For me, I think it comes from severe ego,” he shared.

Explaining what “ego” means to him, he said, “I say ego because I am not the kind of person who believes somebody else has to give up or stop running for me to win that race. And that is my mental structure. I don’t want to be in a partnership or marriage where my wife has to stop doing something because I have to feel manly about myself. And thankfully, my wife is not someone who thinks like that either.”

Reflecting on the dynamic of success in their relationship, he noted that it was never unfamiliar territory. “When my parents got married, my mother was a bigger star than my father was. So, it wasn’t an unnatural thing,” he said.

Speaking about their early days, when Abhishek was paired opposite Aishwarya in his second film, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke (2000), he shared, “We weren’t in a relationship together (then). We were just buddies. We were always friends.”

He reiterated the importance of partnership in their relationship, adding, “It was always about a partnership. I have known Aishwarya from the start of my career… So, there is no competition at home (about) who has to be the man, who has to be the woman.”

Speaking about raising their daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan, Abhishek shared that both he and Aishwarya lead by example when it comes to parenting.

“We try to be the best example for Aaradhya. Instead of telling her this is right, or this is wrong, we show her what to do by being that,” he explained, adding, “In that sense, it has never been like I have to teach her self-defence. If you have seen my wife, she can take care of herself.”

He also admitted, “I think fathers are lousy teachers because our emotions get in the way and we don’t have that sensitivity chip that women do.”

With a career spanning over 25 years, Abhishek Bachchan has several successful films to his credit. Yet, one movie that a lot of his fans and critics swear by is Guru. This Mani Ratnam film helped Abhishek garner love and appreciation in the industry. However, Abhishek says that if given another chance, he would love to work on Guru again, shot by shot, and do a better job.

In a chat, he said, “If given the opportunity to do the film again, I can unequivocally say that I can do a much better job today. Having said that, I don’t compare my movies or treat this as a benchmark to other movies because every film is different. But if Mani Ratnam gave me the opportunity to do Guru scene by scene, shot by shot again today, 100 percent, I’d do a much better job for him.”

On one hand, where Guru is loved for its storyline and performances, it also holds a special place in Abhishek and Aishwarya’s love story. “I proposed to her at the premiere, after the premiere in New York,” said the actor.

He further added, “But all my films are very personal. And I ensure that. There are possibly one or two that might not be as personal. But my rule of thumb is it has to be personal. If it’s not personal, then I’ll probably not do it.”

During the conversation, he spoke about another character and movie he did with Mani Ratnam — Yuva. Speaking about Lallan from Yuva, Abhishek shared, “The first time you are working with the great Mani Ratnam, you don’t say anything. But Mani sir involved me so deeply in Lallan, in the preparation of Lallan, and allowed me to have an opinion on him. He heard me very sweetly; he didn’t need to. I thought Lallan was the sweetest character, you feel for that guy.”

Walking down memory lane, he added, “There was this one scene in Yuva which sadly never made it to the final cut, which I thought was very important, wherein he’s had a huge fight with Rani (Mukerji), his wife, and she’s like, Why can’t you change? He’s lying down on the bed and she is sitting next to him. He is on her lap, and he is howling. Because she has caught him going back to what he was doing, and she’s trying to bring reform to him. So, she asks him, ‘Why can’t you change?’ And there was a line that Anurag (Kashyap) had written, which just summed it up for me. I felt so bad when I read that. Lallan says, ‘I am trying, lekin suvar goo khana chhodta nahi hai (A pig never stops eating shit or being around shit).’ I felt so bad when I read that. He said, I’m trying, but I don’t know anything else.”

​Abhishek Bachchan may have clocked in 25 years in the movies, but he isn’t resting on milestones. From an unprepared 22-year-old stepping onto the sets of Refugee, to navigating highs, lows, reinventions and resurgences, in a conversation with us, the actor reflects on his journey so far and says he is eager to see what lies ahead. Excerpts:

Reflecting on his 25-year journey in cinema, which has included movies like Dhoom, Yuva, Guru, Bunty Aur Babli and Sarkar, he says, “I can’t believe it’s been 25 years. I’m not someone who usually looks back — I prefer to keep my eyes on what’s ahead. But when I do reflect, the first feeling that comes to mind is gratitude. I have gratitude that the audience has tolerated me for 25 years (laughs), and to the filmmakers who believed in me, and continue to believe in me.”

When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, he says, “I’d say, wait, spend some more time preparing yourself. I was 22-23 years old when I started shooting for Refugee. I was so excited to have bagged a film that I just jumped into it. J P saab is such a master at what he does that you really didn’t have to prepare anything because he takes such brilliant care of you. He was the ultimate puppet master. We would just show up and he would make us do everything. He treated us like kids and spoiled us thoroughly. In retrospect, after 25 years of experience, I’d say take some time and be a bit more prepared. But I guess whenever you look back in life, you’re always going to find something you could have done better.”

During his career, Abhishek stepped away from the screen for a while in the late 2010s, only to return with Manmarziyaan (2018), a comeback that marked a significant shift. The actor, who is enjoying the new phase of his career with projects like Breathe and Dasvi, shares, “Everybody around me had advised me against it. However, it was the best decision I took. I think it’s important for actors to recalibrate when things are not going the way they want. So, it was important for me.”

Now, in the 25th year of his acting career, he’s seeing a resurgence that’s hard to ignore. Abhishek, who was recently seen in Kaalidhar Laapata, says, “Thankfully, people are still giving me an opportunity to make films. For any actor to continue to work for so long is a privilege. It’s not an easy industry to survive in. Right now, I’m truly enjoying this phase of my career. I’m being offered diverse roles like I Want To Talk, Be Happy, Housefull 5 and Kaalidhar Laapata. I’m glad directors believe I can take on such variety. It’s challenging, and it’s great that they think I’m worthy of that challenge. So, I just keep my head down and focus on work.”

Interestingly, several fans online have claimed that this is Abhishek’s “eternal peak.” Reacting to the praise, he smiles and says, “Wow, I am at the ‘eternal peak’? Let me just frame that word, eternal peak means I am never coming down from here. I am very flattered, however, I hope it’s not true because I have miles to go. I have many more peaks to conquer. We’re just getting started. Twenty-five is just a number. I’m very energized. I feel like a newcomer and excited for what lies ahead.”

"It feels like yesterday,” smiled Abhishek Bachchan, recalling his film debut 25 years ago with Refugee (2000). The première of Refugee, held at Mumbai’s iconic Liberty cinema, will remain an indelible, landmark moment. The evening marked that he was ready to follow in the footsteps of his successful parents, actors Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, but more importantly, it signified the beginning of a new identity for him.  

 

The date of his first première is at the top of his mind: “June 29, 2000,” he rattled off. The mix of nervousness and excitement meant he “couldn’t sleep the night before the première.”

Première day dawned with light showers, and Abhishek believed it to be an auspicious omen. As evening fell, all roads led to Liberty cinema. Opened in 1949, the first film to debut at the theatre was Mehboob Khan’s Andaz, starring Dilip Kumar, Nargis, and Raj Kapoor. On this evening, one of Kapoor’s granddaughters Kareena Kapoor Khan was making her debut alongside another star kid from a legacy family.

At the première hosted by filmmaker J P Dutta, the Bachchan and Kapoor families were in attendance as was the who’s who of the industry. Abhishek shared, “I remember everyone [from the] film industry and the media was there. I walked in [and the first person] I met was Yash Chopra, who hugged me and gave me advice. I remember who was sitting next to me and how the show finished.”

Even as the show ended, the night had just begun for Abhishek, who went to celebrate his foray into Hindi cinema, with his friends. “We went to the Regal Room at the Oberoi Hotel. A dinner and party were hosted for the première. I was there until early in the morning with my friend Sikander [Kher].”

What he did next is the moment he remembers the most vividly. “While driving back at 7 am, we stopped at Marine Drive. I stood there for a while and took in the moment that I was going [to be an actor]. We also returned to Liberty to see if people had queued up to watch the film.”

That morning started the career of the actor, who would go on to have a long run at the movies; with memorable performances in Yuva (2004), Guru (2007), and Manmarziyaan (2018), among others, and who would foray into OTT before his peers did.  

Of course, that morning, Abhishek didn’t know any of this. All he had was one question: Is the audience liking his movie? He laughed as he recalled, “[Later in the day], I called Bebo and told her we should do theatre rounds [to gauge reactions]. We went to Gaiety-Galaxy and Chandan Cinema.”

When this reporter saw Kaalidhar Laapata, our first reaction was to go home and ask our parents what is on their bucket list. When we ask the same of Abhishek Bachchan, who headlines the Zee5 film, he says there are too many things he wants to do but refuses to tell us what exactly. “I feel if I talk about it, then it doesn’t happen.”

The film, written and directed by Madhumita, is the Hindi adaptation of the Tamil film K.D (2019). It follows a middle-aged man experiencing memory loss and a sense of abandonment after overhearing his family’s plan to leave him behind during a religious gathering. He then embarks on a journey during which he meets an eight-year-old orphan, and they set out to fulfil items on his bucket list. In conversation with mid-day, Bachchan talks about what drew him to the film, why Daivik Bhagela was the right choice as his co-star, and why understanding the economics of films is important.

I just loved the way Madhumita had written the film and the way she wanted to tell the story more than just the subject matter. I loved her approach to it; she made it very human. I loved the fact that she was going to end up saying some very profound things — things that stay with you long after the film is over. But [she said] it in such a casual manner. The conduit of all of this is a 10-year-old kid. I found that very interesting.

You feel that? [Laughs] They do, right? I mean, just by their countenance alone, they kind of make you very carefree because they’re so innocent and not inhibited at all. So I think that does bring out a lot of the child in you.

Daivik is very sweet, but he’s an old soul. Immensely well-prepared. He’s a wonderful actor and has got a very bright future ahead of him. A lot of that has got to do with the fact that he comes from a very renowned theatre troupe in Bhopal, where we shot the film. His confidence is something else. When we were casting, Madhumita said that she needed a kid who just has to be the character — confident to the point of being overconfident and chalu. How do you cast a kid like that? And in walked Daivik. Before he could say anything, we were sure this is the guy. He had that X-factor in him, which was brilliant.

I don’t think it was anything much. Everybody told me that he might be intimidated, so I’d have to be careful and make it casual for him. So I thought I would have to handle him. Daivik walked in — he was totally cool. I was very happy with that. You always think, with kids you have to behave in a particular way. He was like a normal co-star. I’m not saying he’s mature or that he has grown up too fast. I’m saying that he was very well-prepared and embodied all the qualities that the character needed. He was not precocious at all.

 

I had a truly wonderful time working with Madhumita. Her crystal-clear vision for the film, and especially how she intended to adapt the script from page to screen, was something I thoroughly enjoyed and found incredibly inspiring. I also deeply appreciated her insightful notes and her consistent focus on the emotional depth of the characters in every moment. It was a genuine pleasure collaborating with her.

It’s always the film. It can’t be about me or the kid. No one aspect of the film is larger than the entire film. I just hope they enjoy it. If they have a smile on their face at the end of it, I’m already happy. I’m going to go tell Nikkhil [Advani, producer] and Madhumita that I’m done. [If people have] watched the film, gone home and asked their parents, ‘Hey, I’ve never asked you. You’ve done so much for me. What can I do for you? What’s on your bucket list?’ Then we’re flying.

Of course. You have to. I think it’s very important for people within the film industry too. I don’t agree that it’s important for people outside the film industry, though. When I go to a movie, I’m not going to see a hit or flop film. I go to see a good film or a bad film, and that’s what the audience should do too. I’m not too fond of the fact that today a lot of the film industry and media houses have made it into a business to report the numbers. That can’t be the discussion. The discussion has to be around: did you enjoy the film or not? I’ve seen Amar Akbar Anthony [1977]. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it. I don’t know the collections of the film. I just know that it’s a very entertaining and fun film. So that’s the way a film should be for the audience. But as an actor or somebody who is part of the film industry, it’s very important to be cognizant of the economics because it is a commercial art. You’re selling a ticket; you owe them their money’s worth. So you have to be aware of that.

This day, that year — 2000 marked the much-awaited debut of an actor born into one of Hindi cinema’s most iconic couples. And Abhishek Bachchan quickly carved out a space of his own, with varied performances across genres. As he completes 25 years in the industry, the actor looks back with gratitude and a quiet sense of progress.

“Hopefully, there’s been a fair share of improvement in these 25 years. As an actor, I definitely feel a lot more comfortable than I was when I first started,” says the 49-year-old, adding, “As a person, having lived and experienced that much more, obviously you’re better equipped to handle situations. And that’s all that matters.”

Abhishek debuted in Refugee (2000) opposite actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, also a newcomer at the time. He recalls how the opportunity came his way: “It materialized because (director) J P Dutta sa’ab saw me at an award function and approached me to do his film. That was his call entirely, and I’m eternally thankful to him and for him.”

Despite growing up around films, stepping into the spotlight was nerve-wracking. “Anytime you do something for the first time, it’s terrifying, and it still is, actually. First days always give a lot of butterflies. I was immensely nervous,” he admits.

Over the years, Abhishek has explored multiple genres — from intense dramas like Guru (2007) to action in the Dhoom series, and slapstick comedy in Bol Bachchan (2012) and Housefull 5. But comedy, he says, was the most intimidating: “It’s the most demanding genre. In dramatic scenes, you can take a pause. But in comedy, if that beat isn’t written, it’s very difficult to make it funny.”

With films like Dasvi (2022)and I Want To Talk (2024), Abhishek has entered a new phase of acclaim. This year, he received critical and commercial success with Be Happy doing well on OTT. And he will also be seen in King with Shah Rukh Khan.

“Any sort of success for an actor means the world to them. It’s validation for your work and for your effort, and actors love that. We look forward to that. It means that the audiences for whom we work have appreciated our work, and that’s most important. So any sort of success is always welcome and looked forward to,” he ends.

Abhishek Bachchan’s last five releases came out during the pandemic. In fact, all his projects — Ludo (2020), The Big Bull (2021), Breathe - Into The Shadows, Bob Biswas (2021) and Dasvi — released directly on the web. Since theatres are running in full strength now, the talk around box-office figures has gained relevance again.

Ask if his projects taking the OTT route ever bothered him, and the 46-year-old shares, “I am an actor. My job is to act. Obviously, we love to be on the big screen, but I think a huge advantage of being on a streaming platform is the kind of reach you have. OTT has a larger audience base compared to theatres.”

Bachchan adds that thanks to OTT, films now reach a wider audience, including people in the interior parts of India. “Be it Ludo or The Big Bull [they were watched by a large audience]... In case of Dasvi, 400 million people could access it on the web by the push of a button. Even if we had to debate on it, if 10% of that number decided to watch the film in theatres, that’d be a total of 40 million. Take the average ticket price that is Rs. 120 in India and do the math. The figure is mind-boggling,” says Bachchan, who will next be seen in the third season of Breathe.

In recent times, it’s been observed that box-office numbers affect the mindset of moviegoers. In fact, the numbers become a factor in deciding if they want to watch the film in theatres or not. Bachchan is glad that the number game doesn’t exist in the web space, yet. “How nice that OTT platforms don’t release this data. Unfortunately, the box office has become the focus of the audience over the years. Earlier, whether a film is good or not used to be the focus,” he ends.

Actor Abhishek Bachchan says that when he started his Bollywood journey at the age of 23, he was clear about his career goals. “My birthday falls on February 5, and I signed my first film, Refugee (2000), with J P Dutta (director), on February 1. It was a really happy period in my life, as I started shooting for the film. I was sure at 23 that I wanted to become an actor,” he recalls.

The 46-year-old had a name to live up to and comparisons with his parents — actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan — were inevitable. But he understood that not being affected by them was the best way forward. “I decided this at the start of my career and switched off on the first day itself. I remember at that time, I was only thinking, ‘What is everybody else thinking? What are they going to say about my father?’ I realised I had spent my entire day thinking what people were thinking, when I should have spent my day concentrating on doing my job. I was sure to not allow this (the pressure) to come into my consciousness, because it would have taken over,” recalls the Dasvi actor.

He adds, “My job, as an actor, is to dedicate all my energy and channelise it into doing my work, and not [care about] the other stuff.”

When he returned for a second innings in 2018 after a self-imposed hiatus, Abhishek Bachchan had promised to only take on movies that challenge him. The actor has since stuck to his resolve, even as his experimental streak has resulted in varying degrees of success. Dasvi, which sees him portray a corrupt chief minister who sets out to clear the 10th standard examination from jail, is another step in that direction.

To Bachchan, the rustic Ganga Ram Chaudhary may be rough around the edges, but is endearing nonetheless. “In the first five minutes, you’ll discover that he is lovable and sweet. By the end of the film, he has a deeper understanding of society. His relationship with his wife [played by Nimrat Kaur] is something that I enjoyed. Contrary to how we perceive [such characters], he is not chauvinistic,” he reflects. One might assume that the Netflix film highlights the need for educated politicians. The actor, however, says, “We are not making a social commentary. The emphasis was on making an entertaining film. After that, if people can walk away with a social message, we’ll be happy.”

While he won praise for Bob Biswas (2021), his last success was the ensemble drama, Ludo (2020). The upcoming Tushar Jalota-directed venture, in contrast, sees Bachchan shouldering the social comedy. Does he feel the pressure? “I have always taken the pressure of delivering a good film. It doesn’t matter where [I] stand in the frame. I have never thought in terms of [lead and second lead]. You should take ownership of your films, only then can you truly submit to them.”

It is evident that he walks the talk. Bachchan is known to take ownership of his movies — be it the recent offerings that have won him appreciation or the forgettable ones in the past. “I review my films all the time as a learning process. I make notes to see where I could have done things better. I take criticism seriously because every opinion matters to me. Here’s somebody telling me what I need to improve. Why would I not listen to that?”

Minutes into our chat, Abhishek Bachchan surprises us when he reveals that he watched Kahaani (2012) only during the lockdown in 2020. The spine-chilling character of Bob Biswas and the indelible performance of Saswata Chatterjee, he claims, were unknown to him until then. Bachchan walked blind into Bob Biswas (2021), the spin-off of Kahaani — a decision that has benefitted him. His performance as the unusual contract killer has earned him a Best Actor (Male): Film nomination at the mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards.

“When Sujoy [Ghosh, producer] met me, he said he’s thinking about making a film about a hitman who has lost his memory. I thought it’s an interesting premise. When he said Diya [Annapurna Ghosh] is directing it, I said yes before [hearing] the script. When she narrated it to me later, it turned out to be a cool script,” recounts the actor.

While Chatterjee was embedded in our minds as the cold-blooded hitman, Bachchan had little idea about the original rendition. “I saw Kahaani during the lockdown, after we had shot a chunk of the film. I got to know months later that this was a character from Kahaani.”

The most challenging part was the physical transformation. The actor, who became a portly 100 kilos, says the appearance was crucial to the character. “Bob’s takia kalam [greeting] is ‘Nomoshkar, Bob Biswas. Ek minute.’ I wanted to figure out where this ‘ek minute’ came from. [It was justified] in the scene where he is running up the stairs to catch up with the elevator, and [since he is heavy], he is trying to catch his breath.” 

Most actors are critical of their work. Did he analyse his performance after the thriller’s release to see what he could have done differently? “In the climax, after the two hitmen kill Bob’s wife and son, he holds them in his arms. In that moment, his world is taken away from him. That’s why he becomes the cold-blooded murderer after that. I could have perhaps portrayed the scene in a more emotional way.” 

Cast your vote for the Hitlist OTT Awards

Abhishek Bachchan has been nominated in the Best Actor (Male): Film category for Bob Biswas.

The other nominees are:

- Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger)

- Dhanush (Atrangi Re)

- Farhan Akhtar (Toofaan)

- Sidharth Malhotra (Shershaah)

- Vicky Kaushal (Sardar Udham)

Log on to www.radiocity.in/hitlistawards to cast your vote.

You can also vote via SMS. Send HITLIST <space> category name <space> your choice (a/b/c as on the website) to 57575.

Voting lines close on March 18.

Abhishek Bachchan recently opened up about battling Coronavirus and being hospitalised for the same. “Everybody has their own unique experience with COVID. I think people react to it differently. It was not a nice experience for me because my family was infected as well. If you are in a situation where you are under medical supervision, you are very powerless,” said Abhishek during a podcast.

“Your life is being run by the medical teams, so you are not really in control of your faculties in that sense and you don’t really have any power over what you do. It was tough to sleep in the initial nights I was at the hospital as I didn’t know what awaited me on the other side,” he added.

Abhishek said his father got him through his sleepless nights in the hospital. “Initially, my father and I were in the hospital together. A week later my wife (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and daughter (Aaradhya) were hospitalized. Thankfully, they only had to be there for about a week, but my dad and I stayed longer as we hadn’t tested negative,” he said, adding, “It was wonderful to wake up and go see my father, who was 78 last year, and someone with severe co-morbidities. But he was positive and had the fighting spirit to get through this. At that point my energies were obviously directed towards him and him becoming better because you fear for your parents, it’s actually of a sensitive age group.”

Seeing Big B’s fighting spirit was inspirational for Abhishek. “He is a great friend of mine, so it was good to shoot the breeze with him. When you are a COVID patient, although you can interact with other patients, there is nothing else to do, you just have to wait around. I mean he is a good roomie in that sense,” he said.

Reflecting on what COVID and the last year taught him, Abhishek said, “It taught me that you got to value your relationship and the fact that you have a happy and healthy family around you. There was a point I was frustrated during the lockdown, but then my wife put things into perspective for me and told me how for the first time in many years I could sit back, not be working round the clock and just enjoy the company of my family in the safety of my home. That by itself, is a blessing.”

— IANS

It has been over a year since the Coronavirus crisis hit India, and thus began the rise of online streaming platforms. With theatres shut for most part of the last year, and even now, many films meant for a theatrical release took the OTT route. Abhishek Bachchan had not one, but two of his films — Ludo and The Big Bull — released digitally. The best thing about such releases, says the actor, is the fact that the hype around numbers doesn’t take place as is the case with big screen releases.

“Earlier, traditionally, the film’s trailer would come out six to eight weeks prior to its release; now we get a shorter window. By the time the film is out, as an actor, the excitement goes out of the window because of all the nervousness around initial reactions to the film,” he says and quips, “But, I have to admit that on a scale of one to 100, if theatrical is a 100, with films coming out on streaming platforms directly, nervousness level is at around 98.”

The 45-year-old notes how in case of theatres, the opening day and weekend collections, and this whole number game at the box-office consumes an actor.

“But in case of the web, they don’t release this kind of info. So, it’s a sustained release. There’s no pressure to watch it first day first show, it’s going to be available. That’s the only thing slightly lesser — the pressure to meet opening day figures. Rest of it is pretty much still the same,” he explains.

Having spent two decades in the film industry and played a variety of roles on screen, Bachchan admits that even today, he gets anxious before the release of films.

He reasons, “At times, there are months and years of collective hard work and sacrifice that go into making a film. And suddenly, the product is not going to be yours anymore. You hand it over to the audience.”

Last year his web debut, Breathe -  Into The Shadows and then Ludo, were received well by viewers. This year, The Big Bull, opened to mixed reviews and Bachchan is happy. He directs all the praise towards the film’s co-producer, Ajay Devgn. “He has my best intentions in mind. I have an immense responsibility towards him. I was so lucky, it was a wonderful script and actors would give an arm and a leg for a role like this,” he says.

"I have always had a blast at the movies, but the last three years have been satiating,” starts off Abhishek Bachchan, who is gearing up for the release of his next film, The Big Bull on Disney+ Hotstar, next week. Admitting that his phase post-Manmarziyaan has been rewarding, he says, “Bob Biswas [the prequel to 2012’s Kahaani] and [Dinesh Vijan’s] Dasvi are reminders that people haven’t pigeonholed me into an image. The fact that writers and directors found me worthy enough to play Bob Biswas itself is fantastic. Dia [Annapurna Ghosh, director] and Sujoy [Ghosh, writer-producer] showed immense faith in me.” 

Sujoy, Shah Rukh Khan (co-producer), and Netflix will lock on a release date once edits are done, informs Bachchan. “[Shooting for] the film was fun because I could work in Kolkata and put on weight with abandon. The fact that I looked like Bob helped in pulling off the complex character.”

While Bob Biswas was made as a direct-to-OTT original, we ask him if forgoing a theatrical release of The Big Bull bothered him. Insisting that the film was originally planned for the theatres and that producer Ajay Devgn changed his mind, he says, “The pandemic changed the circumstances. Ajay told me during the lockdown that there was an uncertainty about how the pandemic will play out. He had the foresight of saying everything about it is for the big screen. It is meant as a spectacle but let us make sure we reach the audience. It’s a big-screen experience and I hope the energy translates on the small screen.”

In early 2019, Abhishek Bachchan’s neighbour-friend Ajay Devgn called him to discuss a film he was producing. “He calls me only when he knows something is special. He is like an elder brother. Out of my love and respect for him, it’ll be a blind yes,” begins Bachchan, recounting how director Kookie Gulati, writer Arjun Dhawan, Devgn and he came together to create the world of The Big Bull, and its principal character Hemant Shah. “Kookie had a clear vision about the journey of a man with big dreams. He wanted it to be an emotional journey for the audience rather than [delving] into the technicalities of the story.”

But a fictional narrative inspired by the life of stockbroker Harshad Mehta poses a cardinal problem — how does one maintain the character’s essence while being careful not to glorify him? “I don’t know if the moral responsibility of the subject [rests with] the writers. Storytellers shouldn’t bother with morality. When the producers, actors and the director step in, that’s when the moral responsibility steps in. I was clear in my initial discussions that if Hemant is aspirational, he also has to be shown as a flawed man. Hemant initially lives in a chawl, and then owns an apartment with a swimming pool in the balcony. He is so taken in by the world he has created. He has human frailties, and I like the fact that he slips. We have not tried to whitewash him. The audience has come of age, and wants our heroes to be real and flawed.”

Hansal Mehta’s Scam 1992, centred on the same subject and starring Pratik Gandhi in the lead, took the nation by storm last year. Bachchan knows that topping it will be a tough act. “All my life, I have been compared to the best in the business. It doesn’t frazzle me,” smiles the star son.

True to his generous nature, Bachchan says he loved Scam 1992. “It’s such a well-made show. But in terms of design and intention, series and movies are different disciplines. A web series has the liberty of time, and hence, will have depth and detail. In cinema, you have to make the story pacy. The two shouldn’t be comparable.”

If there’s one Bollywood actor who can’t be messed around with on social media, it has to be Abhishek Bachchan. The way he deals with trolls has always been appreciated, as he chooses to reply politely with a tinge of humour, even if they take a direct jibe at him or comment about his family.

The first step, he says, is not identifying them as trolls. “Acknowledge that they aren’t trolls; being one has a very negative connotation. If you label someone a troll, why are you confronting or replying to them?” he says.

The 44-year-old adds that these are people who watch his work, and the “old school name for them would be fans”. Elaborating his point, he adds, “These people who watch your work have a platform to interact with you today, so they are there to do it. If anyone says something, I feel like responding to them. About 95% of the people I responded to changed their opinion of what they were trying to say in the first place, and said, ‘We’re sorry, we didn’t mean to say that or upset you’. That’s good because I clarified something.”

And what about the other five? Bachchan says it’s apparent that they don’t want to engage in a discussion. “If they start abusing, you realise that all this person wants to do is be excited that they’re speaking to a celebrity and using bad language. You stop the conversation. Never wrestle with a pig; the pig is actually enjoying it while you’re just getting dirty. If you label them as trolls, toh munh kyun lag rahe ho?” he explains.

This Zen approach of his certainly draws praise from people. But one can take all of this only to an extent. When it gets too nasty, doesn’t that get to Bachchan? He admits it does. “We actors are very sensitive people. I understand we’re public property, and once you’re that, people can take potshots at you, and of course it hurts. In the last 20 years, I’ve had my fair share of reviews which I could have turned around and said were trolling me. They had nothing to do with my film, but personal attacks on me. It does hurt, you do register it,” he confesses.

How one responds to them is what matters, according to the actor. He says he takes the criticism of his work positively. “I approach it thinking, ‘Here’s someone who’s kindly telling me, without me asking, how I can improve my work’. I don’t need to employ a nationwide survey on what I’m doing wrong. I use it as a guideline to improve my work. I attribute a lot, of the actor I’ve become, to whatever guidance critics have given me over the years, right from my first film,” Bachchan concludes.

Completing 20 years in the Hindi film industry, making his web debut, and topping it off with good reviews for his direct to OTT film Ludo, Abhishek Bachchan was on a roll in 2020. A low point was him getting diagnosed with Covid-19 but he emerged victorious in that battle as well. We get talking to the man himself, who was also among the first crop of actors to step out and resume work amid the pandemic.

I am very grateful that I got to do some work and it released. I am grateful to the makers, the cast, and obviously above all, the audience. You feel blessed and lucky. At the end of the day, we work for the audiences’ acknowledgement and appreciation. What more can you ask for, than you being able to do your job and them liking it?

I never thought of it like that. I started working on Breathe in 2018. At that time, there wasn’t any timeline as to when we would release it. Incidentally, I also started working on Ludo that year. Once you make a film, there are so many other aspects that you’ve got before releasing it. You leave it to the producers and studio. But, is it special? I would say, it was sort of a silver lining to this year.

I was more filled with concern for my family than anything else. My father (Amitabh Bachchan), wife (Aishwarya) and daughter (Aaradhya) got it too, thankfully my mother (Jaya) did not. Obviously, you are concerned about your loved ones and want them to be alright. There is little that you can do. I have to thank all the doctors and nurses who cared and worked so hard. I never actually had the time to sit and contemplate.

There is a concern at the back of your mind. That wasn’t for me, but who I am getting back home to. I live with my entire family, my parents are of a certain age. If you are going to be all out day, and come home, you get concerned. Somewhere, I have the confidence that if I am going to take care, chances of anything untoward happening are reduced. 

When Bob Biswas — a spin-off film based on a character from Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani (2012) — was announced in November 2019, many had wondered if Abhishek Bachchan would be able to pull off the part of a cold-blooded contract killer. A year later, the doubts have been quelled. As the actor resumed work on the project in Kolkata last week, pictures from the shoot went viral. Almost unrecognisable in a portly frame, with a bald patch and thick-rimmed glasses, Bachchan was praised by Twitterati for his physical transformation.

"The media knew we were shooting in Kolkata. So, the photographers showed up at the venue [and clicked the pictures]. I would have loved for the look to come out the way Diya [Annapurna Ghosh, director] intended — during our marketing campaign," says Abhishek Bachchan, adding that he is humbled by the praise coming his way. "The [netizens'] reaction was an endorsement that we are doing something right. I believe that if you look the character, half your job is done. In Kahaani, Bob Biswas [portrayed by Saswata Chatterjee] is portly, so I had to pile on the kilos. Maintaining the frame during the lockdown was difficult."

The crime thriller, also featuring Chitrangda Singh, was one of the many projects affected due to the lockdown. Bachchan agrees that slipping into the character after a long break was initially difficult. "When you are shooting a film, there's a creative momentum that builds up. So, getting back in the groove can be challenging. But, after the first day, it didn't feel that we had a nine-month break."

Filming in Kolkata is always a joyous experience for the actor, who considers it his second home. "This city has showered my family and me with love and respect. My father is called 'jamai babu' [son-in-law] here, and I am referred to as 'aamar naati' [our grandson]. It has been a lucky city for me. Every time I have shot here, the film has gone on to fare well — be it Yuva or the recent Ludo."

In a career spanning two decades, actor Abhishek Bachchan has tried his hand at a variety of things, not restricting himself to one genre. And quite early on, he got comfortable with carrying a film on his shoulders as well as sharing screen space in an ensemble cast. His latest release, Ludo, fits in the latter category.

At the outset, he expresses his apprehension over stories that do the rounds about any actor’s ego involving screen time coming in the way when part of a multi-starrer project. He says, “Sadly, we label this as an actor’s ego. I understand why the media would label it as such; it’s more sensational, and is the easiest way to explain a situation. It’s actually not that.”

Bachchan adds that every actor is looking out for themselves, and want to do their best to be seen. “It comes from that desire to excel in whatever you are doing... When other actors are involved, it’s survival of the fittest. It’s a basic instinct in human beings. I don’t think it purely stems from insecurity. Yes, one has heard of such stories. It takes an actor of immense self-assurance and security in what they are doing, to not even allow thoughts like that to come to your mind,” explains the 44-year-old.

Having been part of multi-starrers such as Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007), Bol Bachchan (2012) and Dhoom franchise, the actor says that ego has never been a problem for him. “I don’t allow that to come into my work. I’ve been around for 20 years, learnt a lot of things. Things like ego are only going to destroy your work, and won’t get you anywhere,” he shares.

Talking about Ludo, which has fetched him good reviews, the actor says he didn’t get much screen time with everyone, since his track had only him and child actor Inayat together.

“I am very comfortable with and enjoy doing an ensemble piece. I have done a lot of multi-starrers, and if not all, they have been with highly accomplished actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan or my father (Amitabh Bachchan). It’s a pleasure to be around and learn from them. The silver lining is that when you are in the same frame with these people, you live off reflected glory to some extent. They are so good, they make you look good,” Bachchan says.

Ask any actor and he'll tell you that working with Anurag Basu is a joyride in itself. In the filmmaker's world, spontaneity trumps studied acts, and rehearsals are traded for raw performances. Abhishek Bachchan, whose second innings is marked by braver choices and mature portrayals, believes it was exactly the kind of creative environment he sought.

Teaming up with Basu for the first time on Ludo, Bachchan says, "I followed his lead. I liked that I didn't have to rattle off pages of dialogues. Dada prefers silences in his scenes, as do I. He doesn't like his actors to be overly prepared; he wants them to react instinctively to the situation he creates. It's a departure from the way we work currently, which involves extensive rehearsals. That way, when you come on the set, the goal is to execute. But Dada likes to create the work on the set, which is refreshing."

The actor, who headlines one of the four tracks in the Netflix film, has child artiste Inayat Verma for company. "I enjoy working with kids. Collaborating with Inayat was like working with a veteran. We have a preconceived notion that one needs patience when working with kids, but that's not true."

It has been a good year for Bachchan professionally — after his debut web series Breathe: Into The Shadows was lapped up by fans, he has two promising releases in Ludo and The Big Bull. But where there are bouquets, there have been brickbats, too. The actor was recently targeted online with a troll calling him "jobless". Bachchan graciously replied, "That alas is in the audience's hands. If you don't like our work, we won't get our next job."

Quiz him on the episode, and he says, "That's who I am. If somebody is going to say nasty things to me, I will respond in a way that's befitting." Even as he battles online hate with humour and humility, Bachchan says social media is a great platform to connect with his fans. "Social media matters to me. Now, the audience can directly tell you what they like or dislike. Even if one person has not liked my film, I want to understand why and rectify it."

Anurag Basu's Ludo, which was released on Netflix last week, could be a reflection of what life has been in 2020. Every day has been a different one, and no one knows what will happen next, much like the game of ludo. The dice you play dictates what will happen next, and like itself, you have no control over it. The movie has four tracks running, all of which culminate in a lucky-for-some, unlucky-for-some, ending.

The one we liked best was the story that features Abhishek Bachchan, last seen in Amazon Prime's Breathe, and six-year-old Inayat Verma, who has been a contestant on India's Best Dramabaaz. Even if they don't play father and daughter, they have the chemistry pat down. We are chatting with them on Zoom on a Wednesday evening, and they are in high spirits. "We are the hyper active, excited bunch, as this is the first interview of the day. By the time the interview starts, we don't know what will happen. Inayat has a bad temper, she is quite the diva," quips Bachchan, to which the exuberant youngster says, "No!" When they find out we have already watched the movie, which they haven't seen yet in entirety at the time of the interview, they are thrilled. "Kaisi lagi aapko?"

We say their comfort level with each other on screen was impressive, and ask if they remember the first time they met. Bachchan answers first, "It was October 19, 2018. We started the shooting in Chandivli, and that evening we shot the first scene!" Verma says, "I don't remember that, but I do remember Abhsiehk bhaiya breaking the coconut." Much like most of us would be, Verma was apprehensive to meet Bachchan. "I was like, 'Would he be serious?' I wasn't nervous, but it was the first time na! I was hoping the shoot would be fun. But then, I realised he was a mastikhor, like me!"

Bachchan is smiling as Verma is talking, and we say it must have been an experience working with such a pataka. "There was a lot of trepidation. We knew we had to handle her with kid gloves. Having done a lot of work with younger people, we knew that you have to create an environment for them. I don't think they understand what is happening. They don't understand the gravity of the moment. I always say, it's like guerrilla warfare. You have to be ready for the shot at any time—you never know when the kid will be ready for the lines, so you just have to shoot them. There is patience required. Kids also get intimidated by me—it's the beard, the voice and the height, so I need to get them comfortable with me. But then, in walked this pataka. She taught me my lines, and she improvised every scene. It was like working with a veteran."

It would feel like it. The interactions between the two are natural and endearing. They joke around, poke each other, and are sentimental when the need arises. "I was already comfortable with him. I didn't have to try. We used to keep playing pranks. I just had to learn my lines, and say them. And if I fumbled, I used to cover it up. Remember, Abhishek Bhaiya?" she says, and Bachchan adds, "She is very sorted, and behaves as if she had been around for a few years."

His earlier web outing, Breathe also focused on his character's relationship with a young girl. In Ludo, it's his attachment for Verma's character that forces him to behave a certain way. Maybe the experience of being a father to eight-year-old Aradhaya has helped? "It's acting at the end of the day. I like to believe that I have always been good with children. You have to be professional, and with actors like her, it's easy to do that. You can just focus on the craft. But yes, if a scene requires a paternal emotion or instinct, that does come in handy."

Ask them what they take away from the movie, and Verma admits she doesn't even know what her role means. "I just want people to have a good time. And for my first movie, I had great fun, and I am so fortunate that it was with Abhishek bhaiya. I love his movie, Happy New Year." Bachchan puts a more philosophical spin on it. "The last eight months have been trying for all of us, and dada [Anurag Basu] has put a spin on it, and that is to look at the brighter side of life. In Ludo, you get the dice that you do, and you have to make the best of whatever number is dealt to you. And still try and achieve your goals, despite what challenges come your way. At the end of the day, the end is going to be worth it."

They end the interview by telling us what they have learnt in the times of Coronavirus, and Verma says she is bored to death. Bachchan says, "I had been asked if I picked up a skill. I didn't understand that. For me, it was about spending quality time with my family, which is rare in my line of work. That has been lovely for me. It's like Ludo only, you make the best of what you get dealt."