When Abhishek Bachchan quit college to help Amitabh Bachchan clear Rs 90 crore debt: ‘He had to borrow money from staff..."

Amitabh Bachchan’s life has always been the stuff of Bollywood legends. From being dubbed a ‘failed newcomer’ to becoming the ‘Shahenshah’ of Hindi cinema, his story is one of remarkable highs and crushing lows. But perhaps the most testing time of his life came not in front of the camera, but at home, when his company went bankrupt, plunging him into debts of nearly Rs 90 crore. It was such a dark phase that even his son, Abhishek Bachchan, chose to quit college to be by his side.
The early days: A superstar born from failures
Big B’s career did not start off on a rosy note. His initial films failed to impress either the audience or critics. It wasn’t until 1973 that he tasted real success, with ‘Zanjeer’ catapulting him into stardom. From there, he ruled the box office for decades, giving Indian cinema some of its most iconic characters and films.


The ABCL gamble that went horribly wrong
However, success can sometimes breed overconfidence. In the mid-1990s, Amitabh decided to try his hand at the business side of cinema by launching his company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL). Unfortunately, the venture turned into a nightmare. As per multiple reports, ABCL failed to deliver, and the company’s financial troubles snowballed into a massive debt of around Rs 90 crore.

In an interview with India Today, Amitabh candidly spoke about this period, calling it “undoubtedly one of the darkest periods of my 44-year-old career.” He shared, “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.”

Abhishek’s decision to stand by his father
While Amitabh struggled with the crisis, far away in Boston, his son Abhishek was pursuing his education at Boston University. But even across continents, the father’s troubles deeply affected the son.

Speaking on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast, Abhishek had recalled, “Well, truth be told, I left university — I was studying in Boston University. I had declared my major as liberal arts, and then I majored in performing arts. And I left my education because my father was going through this really rough time, financially. He had started this business called ABCL.”

He added, “I said 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. He had to borrow money from his staff to put food on the table.”


‘At least he’ll know his boy is next to him’
What truly stands out is Abhishek’s sense of moral responsibility at such a young age. He revealed, “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 half-way 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’.” Abhishek then described how his father responded. Amitabh called him to his study late one night and laid bare the grim reality. He reportedly told Abhishek, ‘movies aren’t working out, the business isn’t working out, nothing is working out.’

But true to his resilient nature, Amitabh Bachchan decided to pull himself out of the mess rather than give up. In later interviews, Amitabh often credited his family especially Jaya Bachchan and Abhishek, for standing firmly by his side through this storm.


Upcoming projects
Today, the Bachchans are once again a symbol of success. Amitabh, even at 82, remains one of the most sought-after actors. He was last seen in ‘Vettaiyan’, which also marked his debut in Tamil cinema. Fans are now eagerly waiting for him in Nag Ashwin’s ambitious ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel. Additionally, he has Ribhu Dasgupta’s ‘Section 84’ lined up.

Meanwhile, Abhishek has carved out his own place in the industry. He was recently seen in the OTT film ‘Kaalidhar Laapata’ and is currently shooting for Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’.