How Amitabh Bachchan reacted when he was asked to buy award: ‘I know whom this will go to…’

Behind the glitter and glamour of the film industry, the practice of manipulating award outcomes has long been whispered about as an uncomfortable reality. For decades, stories have circulated suggesting that several prominent celebrities quietly secured trophies by funding lavish award-night celebrations or influencing organizers through financial backing.

Despite these persistent allegations, a few respected figures chose to distance themselves from such questionable customs. Among them were Amitabh Bachchan and the late Dharmendra, both known for holding firm ethical boundaries in an industry often driven by optics and power.

Veteran film producer Manoj Desai recently shed light on one such incident involving Amitabh Bachchan, offering a rare glimpse into the actor’s unwavering stance. During a conversation with film journalist Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube platform, Desai recalled an episode from an award ceremony year that exposed how accolades were allegedly negotiated behind closed doors.


According to Desai, he was seated with Bachchan while an awards event was underway when renowned writer Rauf Ahmed approached him with a proposition. Ahmed suggested that if the Best Actor trophy were to be handed to Bachchan, Desai would need to take responsibility for financing the entire celebration linked to the awards function. The request reflected the transactional nature that often governed such events at the time.

Desai explained that he immediately conveyed the proposal to Bachchan, expecting at least a discussion. Instead, the legendary actor dismissed the idea outright, making it clear that he would never obtain recognition through monetary influence. Bachchan reportedly indicated that he was already aware of the eventual winner, predicting that Anil Kapoor would receive the honor, as arrangements for a grand party at Kapoor’s residence had already been finalized.

"He also told me, ‘I know whom this award will go, it will go to Anil Kapoor and he has already organised a big party on the terrace of his house’.." recalled the producer.

That year, Anil Kapoor indeed walked away with the Best Actor title, which Desai believed was linked to his willingness to underwrite the Filmfare celebrations. However, subsequent clarification from an Indian Express report later contradicted parts of this narrative. The report stated that Kapoor did not win the Best Actor award for Mr India released in 1987. His first Filmfare Best Actor trophy came two years later, in 1989, for Tezaab, coincidentally the same year Bachchan was nominated for Shahenshah.

Desai further emphasized that Bachchan was not alone in his principles. Dharmendra, another towering figure of Hindi cinema, also consistently rejected any suggestion of purchasing awards. Desai noted that Dharmendra openly acknowledged this stance even during his Lifetime Achievement Award speech, expressing that although he merited recognition for several earlier performances, those honors never came his way.

For context, Manoj Desai has been closely associated with Bachchan professionally, having produced Khuda Gawah in 1992, which starred Sridevi alongside Bachchan, as well as Major Saab.