​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.”

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.

What drives a filmmaker to remake their movie for a new set of viewers? The curiosity to see whether the story can be told differently without losing its essence, says Madhumita. For her Hindi film debut with Kaalidhar Laapata, the director has adapted her Tamil offering, KD (2019). “After KD received accolades, I was fielding calls from all corners — Malayalam, Hindi, and even Korean filmmakers,” she laughs.

She chose to adapt the film in Hindi as the language and culture offered familiarity. There was another reason she revisited the story of a man who sets out to live his life with joy and purpose, after learning that he is battling dementia.

“In KD, our hero is an 80-year-old man. For the Hindi version, I thought what if our protagonist was younger, someone who has never lived for himself? He’s not ready to say goodbye. Also, in the Tamil version, the little boy is tough and short-tempered. But Ballu, in Hindi, holds on to his innocence like a prized toy. So, adapting KD in Hindi was also about exploring new shades of hope,” reflects Madhumita.

In Kaalidhar Laapata, Abhishek Bachchan has stepped into the protagonist’s role. For the director, he was the anchor of the Z5 film.

“I never write a character with a specific actor in mind because if that actor says no, it’s like having your favourite dessert snatched away just as you’re about to take a bite! So, I focus on building the character authentically. Nikkhil Advani, one of our producers, arranged a narration with Abhishek Bachchan. AB sir is known for his suave, urban roles; he’s the guy you expect to see in a sharp suit, not struggling with memory loss in a small village. But that’s exactly what drew me to him for Kaalidhar.”

Madhumita is part of the growing pool of women filmmakers in India. Ask her the challenges she faces, and she cuts in, “Being labelled a female filmmaker and having my gender precede my work can be exhausting. I’m proud to be a woman, but I don’t believe my gender should define how my work is evaluated. One of the biggest challenges is the assumption that women can only tell certain kinds of stories, like feel-good films or rom-coms. Beyond that, the daily challenges aren’t so different from what women face in any industry. There is also an idea that cinema is less safe for women, but that’s not true.”