Amitabh Bachchan came to Bombay with a driving licence, thought of becoming taxi driver if acting failed: Watch Big B's 1997 BBC interview

Amitabh Bachchan faced rejection early in his acting career because he was considered too tall, too thin and unlike the conventional leading men of Indian cinema. But the super star had a backup plan when he arrived in Bombay to pursue his dream. If acting did not work out, he hoped to earn a living as a taxi driver. The megastar revealed this in a 1997 BBC interview, recalling the difficulties he faced while trying to establish himself in the film industry. An old clip from the interview offers a glimpse into his early struggles, his family's support and his association with the Gandhi family.

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“I came to Bombay with my driving licence and hoped that if I was unable to become an actor, I would at least become a taxi driver,” Bachchan told the interviewer.

Amitabh Bachchan was rejected for being too tall

During the interview, the BBC interviewer asked Bachchan about the early rejections he faced because of his unconventional appearance. The actor acknowledged that his height and lean physique did not fit the industry's expectations of a leading man at the time. “Well, yes, there were some early rejections where the cause for the rejection was that I was too tall to be playing a leading man, too thin, and just unlike a leading man of the Indian cinema,” he said.


The interviewer then asked whether he continued pursuing acting despite those setbacks. Bachchan's response about arriving in Bombay with his driving licence captured his determination to make a career in films, even when success was far from certain. Bachchan eventually became one of the most recognisable stars in Indian cinema. His journey from facing rejection to achieving superstardom remains a defining part of his career story.

Amitabh Bachchan said his parents supported his decision

The conversation also turned to Bachchan's family background. His father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, was a well known Hindi poet, and the interviewer pointed out that the actor had left the prospect of a conventional career to enter the film industry. Bachchan said his parents supported his ambitions rather than discouraging him from pursuing acting. “They were very supportive to everything that I was doing,” he said, adding that his parents wanted to encourage him because acting was what he wanted to do.

Amitabh Bachchan denied Sanjay Gandhi helped him get film roles

Amitabh Bachchan also touched upon Bachchan's childhood association with the Gandhi family. The interviewer mentioned his reported closeness to Sanjay Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, the sons of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Asked whether Sanjay Gandhi had called film producers in Bombay to ask them to give his friend Amitabh a chance, Bachchan firmly denied the suggestion. “No, that's totally false,” he replied.

Bachchan explained that the families' association dated back to their connections in Allahabad, now known as Prayagraj, where his family and the Nehru-Gandhi family had longstanding links. He also spoke about how the association began, recalling that poet Sarojini Naidu introduced his father to Jawaharlal Nehru. According to Bachchan, the connection continued for several years. The interviewer subsequently asked whether he was close to his father. Bachchan's answer was brief: “Yes, I am.”

Amitabh Bachchan also faced a financial crisis later in life

Bachchan's struggles did not end with his early days in Bombay. Years after becoming one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars, he faced another difficult phase when his business venture, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation (ABCL), ran into serious financial trouble. Launched in 1995, the company ventured into film production, distribution and entertainment events. However, mounting losses and unpaid liabilities pushed the business towards collapse. By the late 1990s, Bachchan was facing debts reportedly running into nearly Rs 90 crore, along with legal disputes and mounting pressure from creditors. In a later interview, he recalled how the crisis left him without work or money, despite the fame he had built over decades.

The turning point came around 2000, when Bachchan agreed to host Kaun Banega Crorepati. Television was an unconventional move for a superstar of his standing, but the quiz show opened a new chapter in his career. He later recalled that he had no films and no money when the offer arrived, describing the show as a turning point that helped him recover financially. His return to films, including a role in Yash Chopra's Mohabbatein, along with television and advertising assignments, helped him rebuild his career and repay creditors. The success of KBC also changed how audiences viewed television, proving that a major film star could connect with viewers in their homes every week.