Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan turns a year younger today as he celebrates his 46th birthday. The talented actor incidentally starts the shooting of his next movie Ghoomer on his special day, as he took to Instagram to reveal the project. In an industry that is currently flooded with nepotistic stars, Abhishek is certainly the welcome aberration that the audience loves. While his acting chops have been top-notch, he has always remained an underrated and under-the-radar actor.
Abhishek Bachchan’s debut film was J.P Dutta’s ‘Refugee’, in the year 2000. Ever since, his career has been one of multiple ups and downs, primarily due to the lack of good scripts, and also majorly due to the high range of expectations of the audience from “Amitabh Bachchan’s son.”
Comparison is the death of joy but like the child of any other legend, Abhishek Bachchan, for reasons best known to the public, is judged keeping Amitabh Bachchan in mind, and since he at times falls short of his father, the man is automatically sentenced as a pariah to acting.
Abhishek and his first genuine break
Having done a series of films that failed to tease the senses of the audiences, Abhishek Bachchan’s skills, perhaps for the first time, lay bare for all to see in ‘Yuva’. Bachchan’s immense acting in ‘Sarkaar’ too will not be given a miss by appreciators of films and the art which goes behind them.
Nepotism sometimes backfires. Rohan Gavaskar was expected to bat just like his father, Arjun Tendulkar will face the same pressure, if he plays international cricket.
But there is one guy who has been a major victim of nepotism going wrong. And that’s Abhishek Bachchan.
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— Atul Kumar Mishra (@TheAtulMishra) July 15, 2020
In ‘Sarkaar’, many believe that the son outclassed the father, and put to bed myths of him knowing nothing about acting. Abhishek Bachchan is a brilliant method actor who in ‘Pa’, ‘Guru’, ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’, among others, shattered pre-held notions of him not being talented.
Guru – a turning point for Abhishek
Guru, especially was a turning point for Abhishek as he cemented his legacy in the industry as the actor capable of giving a once-in-a-lifetime performance. The film chronicled the life of Dhirubhai Ambani and stars the real-life couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in leading roles. The film was critically acclaimed and the audience loved Abhishek in the film.
His rom-com Dostana with John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra was a huge hit in theatres when it was released in 2008. The movie may have been a bit problematic in its messaging but Abhishek once again garnered all the accolades for his performance.
Despite the naysayers attempting to write him off during various stages of his career, the actor has made a comeback time and time. Abhishek was last seen in Bob Biswas. The film, directed by Diya Annapurna Ghosh, also featured Chitrangada Singh, Rajatava Dutta, and Paran Banerjee in crucial roles. However, it was Abhishek that rose amongst the cast and stood out.
Nepotism debate, Bollywood and Abhishek
Nepotism has been a burning issue in Bollywood for quite some time now, and the public mood against it has galvanised with the untimely demise of Sushant Singh Rajput, by an alleged suicide no less.
His death opened up a can of worms, which Bollywood would have rather kept hidden. Whether it be mocking a self-made artist, or denying big and deserving projects to them, Mumbai’s film industry has witnessed it all.
Nepotism has no place in today’s day and age. However, like every coin, there is another side to nepotism, the side which the career of Abhishek Bachchan explains the best.
Indian audiences must realise that Abhishek Bachchan is not a replica of his father and that acting does not trickle down from one generation to the other. Expecting Abhishek to emulate his father is a disservice to both Abhishek and Amitabh. It’s like comparing MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar’s career. Both are legends of the game and yet they have an individual identity.
Abhishek’s work needs to be judged objectively, and not by holding a predisposed mindset of the kind of an actor he is. He is a phenomenal artist in his own right and the audience should give him a chance before letting the premonitions cloud the judgement.
