Indore: Failure, a stepping stone in Brand B's path of success

It will be one management lesson they would remember for long.

The 3,000 strong audience at Abhay Prashal auditorium, who had come to attend 23rd International Management conclave on Thursday, got to know how Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan had converted his failures into success and established himself as a brand in Indian entertainment industry.

All this from the Big B himself, who was presented lifetime achievement award at the conclave.
The journey down the memory lane started when he was asked whether he had learnt more from success or from failures. “Failures,” he said without any hesitation. “Success is far easier to get in life but it’s the failure that requires plenty of courage and will to get over from,” he said .

“When I opted for sabbatical in 1990s, which I think was my worst decision so far, I decided to set up my own company. But, it did not do well. It plunged into loss, bankruptcy and I was jobless.

“Everyone whom I know advised me to shut down the company, but I just could not shatter my father’s vision. So, I said to myself:  ‘What’s the best I can do, I will do. ‘

“Then I went to Mr Yash Chopra and asked for work. He offered me Mohabattein. After that I never looked back. I made profits. I got an offer for Kaun Banega Crorepati and then I personally visited houses of my lenders to repay every penny of theirs.

“And I am still working. Soon after this event, I will resume work and read script of my new movie and plan for the shoot as I will be flying back from Indore.

“I know I will make mistakes but I also know I will come out of them,” said the superstar with all the humility.

He also recounted his early days when he felt frustration of an unemployed youth who failed to get a job after pursuing graduation in science stream. He wished he was as informative as the present day youth because then he might have learnt more about acting rather than wasting time in studying science, which he did not use all life.

 “My mother was a fighter and my dad a philosopher. I always used to ask my father, ‘Babuji jeewan mein bahut sangharsh hai’ and Babuji used to say ‘Jab tak jeewan hai tab tak sangharsh hai’. And that’s what I have always learnt from them,” said the 71-year-old star.

“My father was always a strong force in my life. I have always been inspired by him and his work. Nobody can replace him as a role model in my life,” he said.