Everyone knows about the close relationship between Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and the Ambani family, especially his bond with Dhirubhai Ambani. Both are an inspiration to younger generations, because of their hard work and passion that lead them to success. Bachchan and Ambani both faced tough times in their lives and emerged stronger. But did you know Amitabh Bachchan was in immense trouble once, and Dhirubhai stood by his side? The surprising part is whether Bachchan accepted Dhirubhai’s help. Here’s the story of that incident.
Bankrupt Amitabh Bachchan
In 90s, superstar Amitabh Bachchan encountered financial setbacks. He had ventured into setting up his own production company, ABCL for short, which, unfortunately, faced massive monetary losses in the year 1999. The fiasco left the company sinking in a debt of around Rs 90 crores. Creditor harassment and threats became an unwelcome part of his life. Amidst these strenuous times, Dhirubhai Ambani, who was leading the mighty Reliance Industries Limited, extended a helping hand that could have resolved Amitabh’s financial woes swiftly. However, Amitabh held on to his dignity and politely declined the offer.
Anil Ambani Came For Rescue
On the 40th anniversary of Reliance, Amitabh discussed his past challenges, expressing his appreciation for the late business tycoon. He relayed how Dhirubhai sent his son Anil Ambani as his support beacon during those tough times.
He shared a memory about a time when the amount of money he wanted to loan me could have sorted out all his problems then and there. He expressed that the decision to lend me money made him feel swamped with emotions, but despite this, he couldn’t bring himself to accept it. Luckily, his situation started looking up, and by the next year, he had triumphantly bounced back.
Amitabh Bachchan’s Financial Revival
Amitabh found his way quickly back to the limelight with the success of the movie ‘Mohabbatein,’ and the highly popular game show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati.’ As his stars started aligning, he gradually paid off all his debts. In his interaction with Dhirubhai, he found a character story that brought to light the businessman’s commendable principles and traits. Amitabh was impressed by Dhirubhai especially after his financial rebound because, despite his upturn in fortune, he remained incredibly humble.
“He called me and declared in front of his industrialist friends that ‘this boy had fallen down but got up on his own. I respect him for that,” Amitabh said.
The Bollywood megastar expressed that Dhirubhai’s words touched him deeply and he and he consider the words more valuable than any amount of wealth.
At the end Amitabh stated that Dhirubhai’s legacy has touched millions of people for the better.