Interview! Abhishek Bachchan: To work for so long in the industry is a privilege

Abhishek Bachchan may have clocked in 25 years in the movies, but he isn’t resting on milestones. From an unprepared 22-year-old stepping onto the sets of Refugee, to navigating highs, lows, reinventions and resurgences, in a conversation with us, the actor reflects on his journey so far and says he is eager to see what lies ahead. Excerpts:

‘I’m not someone who looks back, I prefer to keep my eyes on what’s ahead’
Reflecting on his 25-year journey in cinema, which has included movies like Dhoom, Yuva, Guru, Bunty Aur Babli and Sarkar, he says, “I can’t believe it’s been 25 years. I’m not someone who usually looks back — I prefer to keep my eyes on what’s ahead. But when I do reflect, the first feeling that comes to mind is gratitude. I have gratitude that the audience has tolerated me for 25 years (laughs), and to the filmmakers who believed in me, and continue to believe in me.”


‘Whenever you look back, you’re going to find something you could have done better’
When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, he says, “I’d say, wait, spend some more time preparing yourself. I was 22-23 years old when I started shooting for Refugee. I was so excited to have bagged a film that I just jumped into it. JP saab is such a master at what he does that you really didn’t have to prepare anything because he takes such brilliant care of you. He was the ultimate puppet master. We would just show up and he would make us do everything. He treated us like kids and spoiled us thoroughly. In retrospect, after 25 years of experience, I’d say take some time and be a bit more prepared. But I guess whenever you look back in life, you’re always going to find something you could have done better.”

‘Everybody around me had advised me against the break I took’
During his career, Abhishek stepped away from the screen for a while in the late 2010s, only to return with Manmarziyaan (2018), a comeback that marked a significant shift. The actor, who is enjoying the new phase of his career with projects like Breathe and Dasvi, shares, “Everybody around me had advised me against it. However, it was the best decision I took. I think it’s important for actors to recalibrate when things are not going the way they want. So, it was important for me.”

‘It’s not an easy industry to survive in’
Now, in the 25th year of his acting career, he’s seeing a resurgence that’s hard to ignore. Abhishek, who was recently seen in Kaalidhar Laapata, says, “Thankfully, people are still giving me an opportunity to make films. For any actor to continue to work for so long is a privilege. It’s not an easy industry to survive in. Right now, I’m truly enjoying this phase of my career. I’m being offered diverse roles like I Want To Talk, Be Happy, Housefull 5 and Kaalidhar Laapata. I’m glad directors believe I can take on such variety. It’s challenging, and it’s great that they think I’m worthy of that challenge.
So, I just keep my head down and focus on work.”



‘I have many more peaks to conquer’
Interestingly, several fans online have claimed that this is Abhishek’s “eternal peak.” Reacting to the praise, he smiles and says, “Wow, I am at the ‘eternal peak’? Let me just frame that word, eternal peak means I am never coming down from here. I am very flattered, however, I hope it’s not true because I have miles to go. I have many more peaks to conquer. We’re just getting started. Twenty-five is just a number. I’m very energised. I feel like a newcomer and excited for what lies ahead.”