Paresh Rawal praises Amitabh Bachchan for paying back ₹90 crore to all his lenders: ‘What a man’
Did you know Amitabh Bachchan once faced a debt of over ₹90 crore? Recalling the tough times of the actor, Paresh Rawal recently talked about how Amitabh never confided in his family when things became very difficult.
Paresh Rawal praised Amitabh Bachchan in a new interview as he feels there’s a lot to learn from the actor beyond his unimaginable stardom. Going back in time when Amitabh was in debt of over ₹90 crore, Paresh Rawal revealed how he handled the situation with dignity. Also read: Amitabh Bachchan would survive on panipuri when he worked in Kolkata on low salary
In 1999, Amitabh Bachchan was on the brink of bankruptcy when his production company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL) faced major losses. This lead him into debt of over ₹90 crore. Later, Amitabh bounced back after hosting, Kaun Banega Crorepati. The success of Mohabbatein, too, added to his situation and he was able to pull himself out of the major debt in time.
Recalling Amitabh’s situation back then, Paresh Rawal shared what he asked the megastar about his tough times on Neelesh Misra’s The Slow Interview series. He said, “Did anybody think that such a thing could ever happen to Amitabh Bachchan? What he used to be, and what he became… He’s a classic example. There’s so much that you can learn from him, especially about dignity.”
“I remember asking him about it once. I asked him if he confided in his family when things became very difficult. And he said, ‘Why? Let them live their life.’ See, he owed people so much money, but he never bad-mouthed anybody. Not once. He could’ve hidden behind the law, got exemption, but he chose to pay every single person back. These are his values. He is Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s son, after all. What a man,” Paresh added. He also said that Amitabh maintained the same dignity even during his best days, unlike the new ones in the industry now, who ‘throw tantrums.’
Talking about the times, Amitabh previously had revealed how creditors used to land at his door and hurdle abuses. He said they threatened and demanded their money. He called it one of the darkest moments of his career.
Amitabh was last seen in his back-to-back films-- Brahmastra, Uunchai and Goodbye this year. He currently has upcoming projects Project K, alongside Deepika Padukone and Prabhas. On the other hand, Paresh Rawal who was last seen in Sharmaji Namkeen, will be starring in Aankh Micholi, Shehzada and Hera Pheri 3.