Learning from the past; preparing for the future : Abhishek Bachchan
It has been 20 years that Abhishek Bachchan has been a part of Bollywood. A career that started with Refugee, has been questioned every few years. Does Abhishek have it in him to carry on the Bachchan
legacy? Not one to shy away from criticism, he responds to it only through his work. He did that with
Yuva, Bunty Aur Babli, Sarkar, reinstated his position with Guru, Delhi 6, Raavan and more. He has
done a commercial potboiler like his Dhoom series and also romantic drama like Manmarziyan. Over the past years, so much had been written about his professional incapability that even his personal equations were being questioned. But the actor clearly seems to have brushed it all aside and moved on. Gone are the days when Abhishek Bachchan was playing second fiddle to Ajay Devgn (Bol Bachchan) or dancing
in the crowded chaos behind Shah Rukh Khan (Happy New Year). The actor is now walking tall and away from the shadows of his illustrious father and super successful wife. His web series debut Breathe: Into the Shadows is being applauded even as he is convalescing from Covid- 19 infection. His next, Bob Biswas
(produced by Shah Rukh Khan) and The Big Bull (produced by Ajay Devgn) have already aroused everyone’s curiosity. In his exclusive interview with Bollywood Insider, he shares what these past two decades have meant to him.
Twenty years seem to have gone by quickly for your fans. They have applauded you as an actor, producer, performer and now, even in your first OTT release. How have you seen
this journey; where do you see yourself going from here on?
I am terrible at speaking about future plans. The best part about the future is that you don’t really know where it’s headed. I look back on my 20 years with gratitude. I’m very happy and can’t complain. I’ve said this a few times; an actor is truly blessed and lucky to get even one film. For me, to have had opportunities for 20 years is truly a blessing and I thank the audience for it, while at the same time
hope to entertain them for the next 20 more years. There are many stories to tell and a lot more work to be done. I feel like I’m just getting started; I’m very excited.
For an actor, the high is perhaps the awards and accolades given on a grand scale, but the lows are the criticism and brickbats which are also public. In the 20 years that have
passed, did you ever feel like the criticisms outweighed the appreciations? Did you ever regret your decisions?
In my entire career, I have only once in my life questioned my decision. You see, when you are starting out, you are happy to do whatever roles you get, because you’re still reeling from the fact that you have finally become an actor. I was in my early twenties when I started out; I was high on euphoria
and everything seemed to be perfect.
But, there was a time I questioned myself when certain films of mine weren’t working. I went up to my
father and said that maybe I have made wrong decisions, maybe this is not the profession for me. And he talked to me like a colleague and told me that he thought I had a long way to go and a lot more to do. It reinstated my faith, and I haven’t looked back since then.
With the change of medium, did you find any significant difference between filming for movies and web series? Is there any difference in the craft as an actor?
As far as the acting bit is concerned, whatever medium it is, it’s pretty much the same. Originally, there used to be a difference in your approach if you were acting on a stage as opposed to film. Films have a lot more close-ups than stage; you cannot have subtle nuances on the stage, because you have to perform for the person sitting in the front row up until the last row.
Hence, there has always been that stark difference between acting for theatre and film. That difference has not continued with film and series produced for a digital platform. At the end of the day, the technique is the same, but you just do a lot more filming. That bit was gruelling to an extent. The length of the web series, the hours you put in are much more than it takes to make a film, so you have to ensure you don’t get restless.
Breathe: Into the Shadows has been the darkest you have gone thus far, even taking Raavan into consideration. Did that attract you to the subject?
I had returned to Mumbai, wrapping up a film I was shooting in Amritsar called Manmarziyaan. I met the creators and heard the basic plot line for half an hour. I said yes based on that narration. I just knew it’s
something that was appealing to me. It was a great role for me to do. It is not always that something like this comes to an actor. What’s more, given the platform, you have the space and time to actually go
through the character’s entire graph. So, you can be certain that it will be well etched; there was no way I was letting go of this opportunity.
What was your mind space like, playing Avinash Sabharwal?
It might have been so difficult internalizing a character like that! Mayank and I were clear on the fact
that it will need extensive prep. We actually got into 6 weeks of thorough prep before we went into filming. Having said that, there was not much I could take from my personal experience for Avinash’s character and thank God for that. But yes, as a parent, I could dip into that wealth of
experience that I have gathered over the last 8 years.
Given the circumstances around us, do you think web series is the only way forward?
It is an advantage, in today’s day and age. A lot of people around the world are still staying in the safety of their home. We have an opportunity to reach out to them with the work we’ve done over the last two years. So yes, it will be beneficial and I’m thankful for that.
The transition has been so smooth you wonder if this is actually how it will be now in future. For instance, I have always enjoyed the travelling bit when it comes to promotions. I love going out and meeting my fans and interacting with my audience. I miss going out physically and all the fun of travelling
together with the rest of the cast and crew. However, I am sitting at home and doing interviews for the last few weeks and I am almost certain, many actors would prefer this over the travel. It is efficient and far less time-consuming. Perhaps this is the new way of life and I am sure to enjoy this too.
Having said that, I don’t think cinemas and films are on their way out. There is a definite charm in going to the theatres, enjoying that feel. It might be a while for things to go back to normal, but it will.
They say this profession comes with a lot of insecurities. Do you agree?
Absolutely, and those insecurities are important. The only thing is, you can’t allow some of them to take control of you. But insecurity is good, because it keeps you alive and wanting to improve all the time.
Before Manmarziyan, we saw you in a spate of ensemble films. It didn’t really work well for your career. How did the fact that you were not playing lead in these ensemble films affect you?
For me, it’s always been about what the role is and how it’s impacting the script. But I’ve to confess that’s going to change. If our audience perceives something in a particular way, you can’t expect them to think otherwise. I started thinking that if I have a particular audience who expects something of me, I’ve to cater to that. I can’t be on this journey thinking I’ll continue to do whatever I’m doing. I loved being part of films like Bol Bachchan, Housefull 2 and Happy New Year; they’re still being spoken about. But I understand when people ask me why I’m taking up these supporting roles. I never understood
that back then, but now, I know how to interpret it differently. I think my audience wants more from me. Does that mean I’m going to stop acting in ensemble films? No, not at all, because I enjoy it. I’m just going to work towards changing the perception.
With films like Bob Biswas and The Big Bull, you are completely transforming yourself as an actor. Would you miss those days of carefree filming and easier roles?
You have to prep for everything you do. This profession demands a lot out of you. Personally, and professionally, it is not easy. Unfortunately, our audience only sees the glamorous side of it, but there is a lot of blood, sweat and tears that go into it. It is very competitive. What might appear as an easy role, might be so far removed from who I am, that I will have to work doubly hard for it. Believe me, these serious, broody roles might hit a dark realm, but might be much easier on an actor than a carefree, loud man would be. So, don’t judge.
In these 20 years, what is the one most important thing you have learnt?
It is most important to me that I now know what I don’t want to do! When we are young, we are so busy making lists of things we could like; we forget to think about what we would absolutely not like…. That’s equally important.
