Bollywood’s ‘Shahenshah’ Amitabh Bachchan is among the richest celebrities in India and at 80, Bachchan still remains one of the busiest stars.
Even after years of being in the industry, Amitabh Bachchan has managed to maintain ‘Brand Bachchan’ as he charges a whopping Rs 5-8 crore per endorsement
Brand Bachchan@80
But, success didn’t come easy to him
Amitabh Bachchan, who is known for his baritone voice, was rejected by All India Radio. He attempted to work at the then-Bombay radio station, but Ameen Sayani refused to audition him
He then moved to Bollywood, where 12 of his films flopped back-to-back until ‘Zanjeer’ established him as the ‘angry young man’. There was no looking back for him
Over the years, Big B has managed to build huge credibility not just in Bollywood but even in the advertising industry to an extent that he became the face behind saving a well-known brand during a crisis
The confectionery brand roped in Amitabh as their brand ambassador after multiple consumers complained of finding worms inside Cadbury’s chocolates, leading to FSA seizing the stocks
Cadbury’s worm controversy (2003)
The Bollywood star helped the brand regain its value in the market to a large extent
Amitabh has been the face of multiple govt-run campaigns as well. From convincing parents to give their kids, ‘Do boond zindagi ki’ to raising awareness against open defecation in rural areas, he has done it all
Polio Vaccine, Swachh Bharat
Amitabh continues to be the trustworthy face for brands, as the new-age ed-tech firm roped him in to advertise their online courses for professionals
upGrad
Some of the other major brands endorsed by him are ICICI Prudential Life, Dabur Chyawanprash, Just Dial, Gujarat Tourism, Emami, Kalyan Jewellers, FirstCry, Maggi, Navratna talcum powder and more
Big B faced a major financial hiccup as his company ABCL, which he founded in 1994, left him with a huge debt of Rs 90 crore against a net worth of Rs 60.52 crore in 1999
AMITABH GOES BANKRUPT (1990s)
This iconic show came as a relief to him, as it became a sleeper hit and Amitabh Bachchan as a brand soared to greater heights
Kaun Banega Crorepati (2000)
Produced by: Bhoomika Aggarwal Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
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