Amitabh Bachchan at 84: Abhishek on the father behind the legend

Amitabh Bachchan turns 84 on October 11, and the birthday wishes are pouring in for a star who has shaped Hindi cinema for decades. But behind the baritone and the larger-than-life roles, Abhishek Bachchan has long reminded fans that the legend is also simply a father and grandfather.

The younger Bachchan made the point in an earlier conversation that feels especially worth revisiting on his father’s birthday. Reflecting on his own 26 years in films, Abhishek was asked whether his parents felt proud of his work. His answer was less about box office and more about effort.

“I think my father and mother would be proud of anything that I do, provided they know that I’ve given it my best,” he said.

That is the lens through which the Bachchan family processes a life lived in public. For fans, Amitabh Bachchan is an icon. For Abhishek, he is the man who comes home and stops being the megastar.

The hero is also a family man

Abhishek put it plainly: “People forget he’s also a father. For us, Amitabh Bachchan is a hero. So, we never look at it from that lens, but he’s also a family man!”

That reframing matters for an audience that often freezes its idols in amber. Abhishek’s words are a warm invitation to see the person beneath the persona: a father who worries, a grandfather who celebrates, a parent who feels what any parent feels.

Fame comes and goes

The younger Bachchan has also been candid about why he does not cling too tightly to stardom. Growing up in the Bachchan household taught him that public attention is not permanent.

“Fame is transient,” he said. “Fame aayega, jayega and you realise it with just a couple of films.”

• Fans see the icon; Abhishek sees the father and grandfather.
• In the Bachchan family, effort matters more than professional success.
• Fame is treated as temporary — something that arrives and fades with a couple of films.

At home, the proof was simple. When Amitabh Bachchan walked through the door, he was not the screen giant; he was Abhishek’s father. That daily experience, Abhishek says, gave him a grounding that has stayed with him across his career.

For fans, that grounding also explains why the family has navigated decades of attention without losing its centre. Stardom may rise and fall, but the relationships inside the house remain ordinary and steady.

What the Bachchans are doing now

Both generations remain busy. Amitabh Bachchan is currently hosting the latest season of Kaun Banega Crorepati. Abhishek, meanwhile, will next be seen in King, which also stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and Suhana Khan; the film is scheduled to arrive this Christmas.

As the birthday tributes roll in, Abhishek’s reflection is a useful companion piece. It does not shrink the legend; it makes it more human. And for a fandom raised on larger-than-life heroics, that may be the most generous birthday gift of all.

Source: The Times of India