Kids interview Abhishek Bachchan
by Charactorium · Abhishek Bachchan (1976 — ?) · Performing Arts · 5 min read
Two 12-year-old students, on a field trip, pushed open the door of a film studio in Mumbai. Before them, smiling, a famous Bollywood actor welcomes them. They've prepared lots of questions.
—What was it like growing up with a dad as famous as yours?
You know, my child, my father Amitabh Bachchan is a legend of Indian cinema. And my mother Jaya Bhaduri is also a great actress. Imagine that wherever you go, people already know your family name before they know you. That's what they call being a star kid. It was a gift, but also a weight on your shoulders. People expected a lot from me. I had to prove that I was worth something on my own, not just because of the name Bachchan. It's like wearing a very beautiful coat, but too big for you: you have to grow into it.
A big name is a beautiful coat too big: you have to grow into it.
—Did your first film succeed right away?
No, and I'll be honest with you. My first film was called Refugee, in 2000. I acted alongside a young actress who was also starting out. I was so proud! And then... the film had only modest success. No one rushed to give me other roles. Imagine preparing a drawing for months, showing it, and people just shrug. I had to wait for years, making films that didn't work. It was hard. But I learned one thing: talent is not enough. You also need patience and a lot, a lot of hard work.
Talent is not enough: you need patience and hard work.
—Did you go to school far from India?
Yes! Before cinema, I studied at Boston University, in the United States. Imagine a boy from Mumbai, used to the heat and colors of India, finding himself in a cold city on the other side of the world. It was a big change. My country, India, had just opened up to global trade: in 1991, we liberalized the economy, meaning we opened the doors to foreign companies. Everything was moving very fast. Then I came back home, to Mumbai, to make films. Studying far away taught me to fend for myself. That's something no film school teaches you.
Going far away taught me to fend for myself.
—What is it like acting in a film with your own father?
Ah, what an emotion! In 2005, we shot Sarkar together, a dark film where I played his son. Imagine: since you were little, you've looked up to your father as a hero, and now you find yourself facing him, acting out a real scene, looking him straight in the eye. I was a bit afraid I wouldn't measure up. But that film earned me a Filmfare Award, one of the biggest honors in Indian cinema. Three years later, in Sarkar Raj, there were even three Bachchans on screen: my father, me, and my wife. A real family dinner... but in front of the cameras!
Acting opposite your hero is finally looking him in the eye as an equal.
—Were you afraid of disappointing your dad on set?
You ask a very fair question, my child. Yes, a little. My father, Amitabh Bachchan, has acted in hundreds of films. In front of him, on the set of Sarkar, I wanted to show that I had learned my craft well. Imagine you're playing football and your coach is the greatest player in the world, and he's watching you take a penalty. Your heart beats fast! But you know what? He never made me feel small. He listened to me like a partner. And when I received two Filmfare Awards in a row, in 2004 and 2005, I saw the pride in his eyes. That was worth all the trophies.
The pride in my father's eyes was worth all the trophies.
—Is it true that your wedding was followed by the whole world?
Yes, and it was impressive! In 2007, I married Aishwarya Rai, who had been crowned Miss World in 1994. We got married in Mumbai, according to Hindu traditions, surrounded by our family. Imagine millions of people, in India and everywhere else, waiting to see images of that day. Journalists camped outside the house! For the occasion, I wore a sherwani, a long embroidered coat that we wear for big ceremonies. It was beautiful and a bit dizzying. The best part wasn't the cameras. It was starting a family with the person I loved.
The best part wasn't the cameras; it was starting a family.
—Didn't it bother you to have so many people watching?
That's a real question, you know. When you carry the name Bachchan and marry a former Miss World, your life is no longer entirely private. Imagine not being able to go buy bread without ten people staring at you. Sometimes it's heavy. On my wedding day, in 2007, in Mumbai, there were photographers everywhere. But I learned to protect what matters: family moments, at home, in our neighborhood of Juhu. In front of the cameras, I'm an actor. Behind the door, I'm just a husband and, later, a dad. I keep those two worlds well separated.
In front of the cameras I'm an actor; behind the door, just a dad.
—Why did an actor like you start buying sports teams?
Ah, because I love my country and its games! In 2014, I became co-owner of a kabaddi team, the Jaipur Pink Panthers. Kabaddi, you might not know: it's a very old sport from our country, where two teams compete by trying to touch opponents without getting caught. It's been played in villages forever! A new professional league had just been born. Imagine a game your grandparents played, suddenly shown to the whole nation with packed stadiums. Later, I also helped create a football team. Putting my fame at the service of an ancient sport made me proud.
Making famous a game our grandparents played made me proud.
—What exactly is kabaddi? We don't know that sport!
That's normal, my child, it's a very Indian sport! Kabaddi is played on a field with two teams. One player, the raider, enters the opposing team's side while holding his breath, tries to touch opponents, and then must return without being tackled. Imagine a game of tag, but where you have to be fast, clever, and strong. It's a traditional South Asian sport, centuries old. In 2014, with the Jaipur Pink Panthers, I wanted to make young people in my country love it. Today, kids like you dream of becoming professional kabaddi players. That touches me a lot.
Kabaddi is a game of tag where you have to be fast, clever, and strong.
—If you could give one piece of advice to a child who doubts, what would it be?
I would tell you: don't compare your beginning to others' success. My first film, Refugee, in 2000, didn't work. I waited for years in my father's shadow. Then, little by little, came Yuva, Sarkar, and even a well-received role in 2022 in Dasvi. Imagine a plant: you water it, you water it, and for a long time nothing grows. Then one morning, a flower. The secret is to keep watering even when you see nothing. The name Bachchan opened doors for me, but it was my work that allowed me to stay. Believe in yourself, and be patient.
Keep watering the plant even when you see nothing growing.
This imaginary interview was generated by artificial intelligence from sources documented in Abhishek Bachchan's profile. It dramatises what the figure might have said based on what we know about them, but does not constitute attested historical testimony. For primary sources and factual documentation, refer to the full profile.