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A Life in Pictures: Abhishek Bachchan

08 April 10

• Watch actor Abhishek Bachchan talk about his Bolloywood career
• Find out how he broke into the film industry and discover his future plans
• Hear him pay tribute to his father and mentor, Amitabh Bachchan

BAFTA webcasts are supported by The Farm Group.

Abhishek Bachchan is the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and is married to actress Aishwarya Rai.

On 5 March 2010, Abhishek's family joined a BAFTA audience to hear him discuss his career as part of the Tongues on Fire Film Festival.

In this live interview with broadcaster Francine Stock, the actor talks about breaking into the industry - from his earliest childhood dreams to his personal struggle for success and his growing status as a leading figure in Indian cinema.

Abhishek also talks about working on his latest project, Paa; a moving account of a father-son relationship in which he stars alongside his own real-life father Amitabh Bachchan

Describing him as his hero and mentor, Abhishek pays tribute to his father, stating; “Any child growing up in the seventies wanted to grow up to be Mr Amitabh Bachchan… Just by observing him, let alone acting with him, you get to learn so much.”

Bachchan goes on to discuss the growing worldwide popularity of Indian cinema, warning against changing the nature of Bollywood filmmaking to suit Western tastes: “[Bolywood’s success] is because of what it is, not because of what it may become…”

Any child growing up in the seventies wanted to be Mr Amitabh Bachchan…

About Abhishek Bachchan

After making his debut in JP Dutta's Refugee in 2000, it was not until 2004 that Bachchan delivered critically acclaimed performances - in both Dhoom and Yuva. His performance in the latter won him his first Filmfare Award in the Best Supporting Actor category, an award he won the next two years running for Sarkat (2005) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006).

In 2007 Bachchan starred in Guru and the film emerged as his first solo hit. Bachchan has since been lauded for his brave and challenging choice of roles and subject matter repeatedly pushing the accepted limits of filmmaking in the conservative Indian society.

Following from his acting success, Bachchan has more recently turned his hand to film production. In 2009 he took on the leading role in Paa whilst also taking charge of the budgeting, marketing and entire production of the film for his family's company AB Corp. Ltd.

Tongues on Fire

This event was part of Tongues on Fire , London Asian Film Festival (5-14 March 2010). The festival is dedicated to expressing the drive and spirit of Asian independent media and cinema cultures of South Asia.

BAFTA/Ed Miller

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