When Amitabh Bachchan shared how his passion for acting helped him rise from bankruptcy

Delhi, India

Amitabh Bachchan, who is unarguably Bollywood's biggest superstar of all time, is so passionate about his craft that even at the age of 79 (soon to be 80), he hasn't stopped working. In the span of over five decades of his career, Big B has worked in over 200 films and has won several accolades for his pathbreaking performances on screen. His achievements and popularity stand proof of his passion for acting and showbiz. But, did you know things were not always this smooth and easy for the superstar?

There was a time when Big B was neck-deep in debt. He was bankrupt, had no work or money and was even unable to put food on the table for his family. Let's take a trip down memory lane to remember how the actor once opened up about the darkest phase of his life.

Back in 1999, the actor faced massive losses after he invested huge sums of money in his production house, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd. (ABCL). According to reports, he owed more than Rs 90 crore to different people, at the time, and was in a financial rut. Several people, who once expressed the desire to work with him, threatened him at his house and hurled abuses to get their money back. It was undoubtedly one of the most difficult phases of his life, which he eventually overcame with his determination and passion. 

In 2013, the actor opened up about his production company's failure and shared how he came out of the mess. While speaking to Mail Today, he revealed, "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."

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"Without a doubt that was one of the darkest moments in my 44-year professional career. It made me sit and think, I looked at the options before me and evaluated different scenarios. The answer came pat - I know how to act. I got up and walked to Yashji (Yash Chopra, filmmaker), who stayed behind my house. I implored him to give me work. That is when the worm turned, he gave me 'Mohabbatein'."

At the end, it was his passion for acting that saved him and helped him change everything.

Speaking about the same at Agenda Aaj Tak, Big B said, "It was a difficult time. ABCL went into debt. I was bankrupt. The people who expressed desire to work with me at the peak of my career came and hurled abuses at me."

Last year, Abhishek Bachchan also opened up about the difficult time. During an interaction with a YouTuber, Jr Bachchan recalled, "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."

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"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," the 46-year-old shared.

Big B currently has several films in the pipeline. He was last seen in 'Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva' in a pivotal role and in 'Chup: Revenge of the Artist' as a guest star. His film 'Goodbye' with Rashmika Mandanna is currently running in theatres.