​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.”

One would assume that Abhishek Bachchan would mark his 25th year in the movies with a big-ticket film. Instead, the actor is kicking off the year with Prime Video’s Be Happy, director Remo D’Souza’s film about dance, rhythm, and joy. Today, he finds joy in fronting small films with a big heart. Does he know who he is as an artiste now more than ever before? “I don’t think any artiste ever knows who they are,” smiles Bachchan.

His pursuit of heartfelt stories is evident in his last many offerings—from Manmarziyaan (2018) to I Want To Talk (2024).

Reflecting on his choices, he says, “As human beings, we grow. What we liked doing 10 years ago may have changed today. The reason to do a film today is that you gravitate towards it. You might not, six months down the line. It’s important for an actor to continuously learn. I have a great example of an 83-year-old [Amitabh Bachchan] back home who is still learning. I’ve always worked from the heart. Sometimes, it worked for me, and other times, it didn’t. I’m proud of every film that I’ve done, whether it has been accepted or not because I’ve learnt from each.”

Today, when the industry is going through a rough patch, actors say it’s a difficult time for movies. Bachchan, however, believes that the noise is the common people’s voice that must be heard. “You should not cut out that noise. As an actor, you’re public property because your films demand the audience to pay a price to come into the theatre, or to subscribe to a digital platform. What they think is of paramount importance. So, I don’t want to cut out the noise. It gets very loud at times. But if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Tuning into what everyone is saying—from fans to trolls—can take a toll on mental health. How does he battle it? “If a [netizen] is being a bit aggressive, fair enough; social media gives everybody a platform to air their opinions. It’s up to you whether you want to listen. I’d love to indulge in discourse.  But if they want to be nasty, then you learn to switch off. You can’t let that affect you.”

Karisma Kapoor's daughter Samaira, Saif Ali Khan's son Ibrahim and Shekhar Kapur and Suchitra Krishnamoorthi's daughter Kaveri are already walking in their parents' footsteps. The star kids' short film, Be Happy, will be screened on November 15 at the 19th International Children's Film Festival of India (ICFFI) in Hyderabad, out of competition in the Children's World category. Samaira's aunt Kareena Kapoor has been roped in as the keynote speaker.

“The film came to us as one of the entries in the Little Directors section and everyone in the selection committee liked it. It's a beautiful attempt to express the thought process of kids in their formative years,“ says festival director Shravan Kumar.

Be Happy is about a young girl who is disappointed about not being able to afford things that other kids her age have and how, when she meets someone less fortunate than her, realises how privileged she is. “It's a journey of a child's discovery of joy and happiness in whatever they have,“ reveals Shravan.

While Kaveri has handled production and worked on the script, Samaira, who also features in the film, is the cinematographer. Ibrahim is a part of the creative team. The trio's friends Shanaia Munim, Rehaan Mehta, Zain and Iman Bhanji have worked as actors on the short, as well as on the story and sound respectively.

The elated Kapoor clan will be present with Samaira on her big day. “It's a lovely honour to have Samaira's short film selected for a festival screening. She is a keen filmmaker and films shorts around the house all the time. We are delighted and proud of her,“ beams mommy Karisma.

Maasi Kareena, who will fly to Hyderabad today, adds, “I am very proud of my niece. She has the Kapoor filmmaking genes in her. We might just have the first female director in the family one day.“