Having known Abhishek Bachchan for more than 30 years, I can vouch for the fact that he hasn’t changed as a human being. On June 30, Abhishek’s debut film, the ravishing Refugee completed 25 years.
Abhishek Bachchan on 25 years of his debut film Refugee, “Never wanted a conventional launch, always wanted to be introduced in a different kind of film”
“25 years! I can’t believe how time has flown by. So much has happened since then. Yet it feels like only yesterday,” chuckled Abhishek.
So how does he look back at the first 25 years of his career? “With immense gratitude. I am eternally thankful to be born in the family that I belong to. If I have another life, I would like to be born as son to Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan.”
Most debutants prefer to be launched in a home production. Abhishek preferred to be launched by family friend J. P Dutta.
He corrected this writer. “But I consider Refugee a home production,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, JP Saab and the entire unit of Refugee were my family. I never wanted a conventional launch. I always wanted to be introduced in a different kind of film. I think Refugee was a perfect film to start with. Since the role allowed me to be express so many emotions, it helped to build my confidence as an actor.”
Abhishek remains indebted to J P Dutta and considers him a father figure. “I hit it off with JP Saab from the day I met him,” he said. “I just found him to be such an honest and wonderful human being. And I loved his working style. Whatever I have learnt about facing the camera is through P Saab. He treated me and my costar Kareena Kapoor with kid gloves on the sets. He virtually led us through the film by our hands. I can’t take even one percent credit for my performance in Refugee.”
So, was it always acting for Abhishek? “Well, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a fireman, then a racing-car driver, then an astronaut. Then when I was in my teens, I wanted to be a businessman. The idea of sitting behind a desk and speaking into an intercom really thrilled me (laughs).”
He added, “But as a serious career option, I think it was always acting for me, though I didn’t admit this to myself for a long time, I guess the acting bug was in my genes. But as a child, I was sent to boarding school abroad at the age of 9. I did miss my parents and my sister sorely. But the experiences that I was exposed to from so early in my life were definitely invaluable. My sister Shweta and I were hardly exposed to the negative aspects of showbiz. Film magazines were never allowed into the house. And my sister and I never attended film parties. Apart from those starring my father, I can count the number of Hindi films I had seen until I was 17 or 18.”
Abhishek confesses to being more a fan of his father’s films than his mother’s. “I saw all of them repeatedly,” he said. “I am my father’s biggest fan. During childhood, I wasn’t too keen on watching my mom’s films. I’ll tell you why. Once when we were, kids we were watching Abhimaan. My sister started crying. I started to laugh because I found it very funny to see my sister crying. My mom had walked in and seen me laughing. I got a shouting for that. I vowed then and there never to see her movies again (laughs). When I was young, I saw very few of my mother’s films. Back then, I found them depressing. I would rather watch my father beat up twenty goons singlehandedly.”
Abhishek ended with fond thoughts on his first co-star. “Kareena will always be special. We were both so young, so eager to learn in Refugee. I am so proud of her.”
Also Read: Kareena Kapoor Khan celebrates 25 Years of her debut film Refugee with a heartfelt post
More Pages: Refugee Box Office Collection , Refugee Movie Review
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