When Amitabh Bachchan described ‘frightening' experience of his fame ‘withering away': ‘You go unnoticed, autograph books are snatched…'

Indian Express

17-05-2025

Just like many superstars, Amitabh Bachchan has seen both the soaring heights and brutal lows of a public career. From being hailed as the 'Shahenshah' of Bollywood to facing a personal and financial crisis at the turn of the millennium, his story is marked by sharp turns. In a 2008 blog post, he offered a rare, unfiltered account of what it feels like to recede from the public imagination. As he prepared for the Unforgettable Tour, his first live performance in 18 years, the then 66-year-old actor reflected on the shifting nature of attention and relevance.
'As you slide down on the wrong side of the hill, the few left with sincere affection, have a condescending look. The spark of instant excitement has mellowed down. You go unnoticed on occasion. If at all there is notice it is a notice with silence and a smile that has some difficulty coming on. Your autograph book could get snatched away in the middle of your signature if the younger heartthrob were to suddenly appear at same location. The hustle and bustle around you would shift there. From being the eye of all attention you are left with just an 'I'.' It was a candid admission from someone who had once commanded the nation's undivided attention. He further wrote: 'You wither away. You are out of sight and out of most minds.' The blog also reflected on the psychological toll of this transition, and the varying ways artists deal with the end of mass adoration. 'Some cleverly become the circumstances. And some, sadly never contend with the change. They believe and live in that glory forever. It requires strength and conviction and character to do that.'
This personal reckoning came not just with fading stardom, but under the weight of a financial collapse. By the late 1990s, Amitabh was grappling with major debt. His production company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd. (ABCL), had failed, and the actor found himself in the midst of mounting legal disputes. The reported liabilities stood at Rs 90 crore. He later described the experience as humiliating, with creditors constantly at his door and his assets under threat. During this period, his son Abhishek Bachchan, then studying at Boston University, decided to return home. In a recent interview with Ranveer Allahbadia, Abhishek recalled: 'Truth be told, I left university. I was studying in Boston University… I left my education because my father was going through this really rough time, financially. He had started this business called ABCL.'
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The family made difficult decisions. Properties in Mumbai, including their Juhu home, were considered for sale. Amitabhh reportedly walked to filmmaker Yash Chopra's house because he couldn't afford a driver. He refused financial assistance, insisting on earning his way back. That conversation with Chopra led to a role in Mohabbatein. Shortly after, he was cast as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati, a move that would prove pivotal in reviving his public image and career.
Yet even with the return of work and recognition, the experience left a mark. In his blog, Amitabh described the hunger for public attention in stark terms: 'Attention is an elixir. When it is not available you shrink. A desolate traveller in search of that oasis in a turbid desert. But you never find it. An inviting mirage keeps beckoning. Only to disappoint. And then you perish.'