Abhishek Bachchan on being the legend Amitabh Bachchan’s son: I am the son of my father, colleague of a legend

He recently completed two decades of being a Bollywood actor, and has seen the film industry inside out since the time he was born to two of the most well-known actors, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. While many would believe that this place is only about glamour and fame, Abhishek Bachchan clears the notion.

“This place is not about film premieres and parties. It’s a lot of hard work, and a lot more. Unfortunately, our audiences only see the glamorous side of it, and very seldom get to see the hard work, blood, sweat and tears we put into it,” says the 44-year-old, who made his big screen debut in Refugee (2000) opposite Kareena Kapoor Khan.

The actor, in fact, goes on to call Bollywood ‘the best place on Earth’. “As far as I’m concerned, I am what I am today because of this industry, and the audiences. They have made my family, and given our family everything. That’s very sacred to me. We also need to understand that this is more than just parties and premieres. You should come and spend time with us on set, there’s so much hard work put in by everyone to put out a film. I do understand there’s this huge glamorous image, which is fair enough. There’s a lot more to it than just that,” explains Bachchan, all set to make his web debut with Breathe 2. 

There’s a lot more, as he himself puts it. Like the fact that it isn’t easy at all. Bachchan had recently said, and maintains, that the film industry is a ‘very demanding place’.

Ask him to elaborate and he candidly explains, “Because the criteria and the way you work is very difficult. But you know, I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. Life is difficult, nobody’s life is easy, everybody has their own journey and battles, and this industry is no different. It’s a very competitive place, where you’ve to work very hard to earn the love and respect of the audience, and even harder to maintain it. It’s a very demanding place.”

Over the years, the actor has managed to create his own space with films such as Yuva (2004), Guru (2007), Manmarziyaan (2018) among others.

However, the question does remain: Was it, or is it tough for him, being the son of a cinema legend? Has the thought ever crossed his mind? 

He takes his time before answering this. “I’ve never thought about it,” he confesses and adds, “I’m the son of my father. At home, he’s that, he has never wanted it to be anything else, my mother never allowed it to be anything else. I’m the son of my father, I’m a colleague of a legend. That’s the way I look at it.”

Elaborating on the equation he shares with his father back home, Bachchan junior says, “He never brings his work home, never imposes, what I believe as a fan rightly should be, the fact he’s a living legend of cinema. At home, he’s my friend, somebody I can sit with, watch sports or movies, discuss politics and current affairs. I think it’s very important to understand that dynamic, which I understand is very difficult to comprehend when you’re not living that and viewing it as a third person.”

However, this doesn’t mean that the actor looks at it as anything other than normal. “I’ve never looked upon it adversely. My love and respect for my parents is far too big for me to ever think to disrespect that emotion by thinking about it adversely,” he emphasises.

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