Megastar Amitabh Bachchan and late businessman Dhirubhai Ambani’s bond was one of a kind. The duo’s relationship stood the test of time, and they both rose to be inspiring public figures in their ways. They are the epitome of perseverance, as both faced tough times and emerged stronger. There was a time when Amitabh was in despair and Dhirubhai became a beacon of hope. However, Amitabh could not accept the latter’s generosity and what happened next will surprise you.
It was in the late 1990s when Amitabh, who once led Bollywood as Shahenshah, went bankrupt. He started his own production company Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL) which suffered huge losses in 1999. His pet company incurred a debt of about Rs 90 crores, leaving him at the receiving end of creditors’ abuse and threats. It was during this time that then Reliance Industries Limited chairman Dhirubhai offered help which could have brought him out of this financial crisis in a jiffy. But Amitabh politely refused his help.
On the 40th anniversary of Reliance company, Amitabh had opened up about his difficult days and expressed his respect for the late business tycoon. He said Dhirubhai had sent Anil Ambani
to his rescue. He recalled that the amount of money he wanted to lend me would have ended all his problems at the time. He remembered he became emotional at his generosity, but could not able to accept the offer. Fortunately, things changed for him and he made a strong comeback a year later.
With the movie ‘Mohabbatein’ and the television game show, ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, he swiftly regained his foot in the industry. Time changed and he paid off all his debt. In the same program, Amitabh also shared an anecdote that tells a lot about Dhirubhai’s impressive character and values. After his financial revival when he met the businessman, he was amazed by his humility. “He called me and declared in front of his industrialist friends that 'this boy had fallen down but got up on his own. I respect him for that,” he reiterated his words. His words touched him deeply and counted them as more valuable than any amount of wealth. He concluded by saying that Dhirubhai’s legacy has touched millions of lives for the better.
