Abhishek Bachchan, 8 Times When He Nailed It

Abhishek Bachchan has  never really got his due. His praiseworthy  performances have either been neglected  or  ignored. Here are  the  performances that have  stood out in  the Junior Bachchan’s career.

1. Refugee(2000): Under the tutelage  and  guidance  of  the mighty  J P Dutta, Abhishek immersed into the character  of  the  Indian guide who navigates  illegal immigrants  across the  border. Though Kareena  Kapoor  grabbed all the attention, Abhishek was an understated volcano of seething  anger, quite like his dad in Saat Hindustani. Says Abhishek, “I still haven’t forgotten  a single  moment  of  my debut film. I owe  my career  to J P Dutt Saab.”
2. Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai (2001) : Playing a smalltown boy from  Uttar Pradesh who gets in wrong company in  Mumbai, Abhishek exuded a vulnerability and  innocence  that  came naturally to  him. This was the first  of his  several successful collaborations with Rani Mukherjee.  Says Abhishek, “This  was  directed  by my dear friend Goldie Behl. We were  both new and trying to find  our bearings. This was my second intense  experience in  a row  at the start  of my career.I enjoyed working with Mr Jackie Shroff who played my mentor.”
3. Naach(2004): One  of Ram Gopal Varma’s  most underrated  films, Naach was an intense romantic drama about  the dancer and the  muse with a tightly-wound  intensely felt performance  by  Junior Bachchan.If  only  RGV had  not  gotten carried away with his  obsession  with the  film’s  leading lady Antara Mali!(Wonder what happened to her). Says Abhishek, “I thoroughly enjoyed working with Ramu in the two Sarkar films. Funny , you  pick Naach which  no one even remembers today.  Yeah, that was  a very passionate film with some very unusual choreography.”
4. Yuva(2003): Many consider this to be Abhishek’s finest  performance to date. Playing the Bihari goon  on  hire Lallan Singh, Abhishek mastered the  body and  spoken language of  the Bihari hoodlum. This was  another outstanding collaboration with Rani. Says Abhishek, “My wife had already worked with Mani  Ratnam. But for me Yuva was  the  first time. Mani entrusted me  with a role  most directors  would have thought I  was too raw to play. I think this is one of my best  performances.”
5. Bunty Aur Babli(2004): Or, Hum Aapke Hain…Con! Playing the  con-man to Rani Mukherjee’s con-woman, this was  the ultimate  con caper  and  the  only  time  director Shaad Ali got it right, apart from Saathiya. Says  Abhishek, “I remember  you had dropped in on the sets on  my birthday with a cake when we were shooting the sing Kajra re with my  father and  future wife(Aishwarya). Who was  to know that Kajra re would turn out to be  such a chartbuster, the most successful song of my career, and Ash’s. This film was special because I  teamed up with Pa(dad Amitabh Bachchan) and we  did not play father and son.”
6. Guru(2006): Based  on  the  life and aspirations  of  the legendary entrepreneur  Dhirubhai Ambani  , Abhishek  played the  tycoon with a  rags-to-riches fervor. He  went through the various phase in  Dhirubhai’s life  mastering the  real character’s aging process with admirable precision. Recalls Abhishek, “This is  another character very close to my heart. I poured my heart and  soul into it. It was a responsibility that I had to fulfil.”
7. Paa(2009): Playing his  own father’s father! Abhishek says  the audacity  of the idea drove  him into pushing the boundaries  of his abilities.  “I realized  my father had the toughest  role in Paa. For me  to have him playing my son was  an idea that just didn’t enter my comfort zone.I give  all the credit for carrying off  the reversed role  to our  director Balki.”
8. Bob Biswas(2022):  With that affable angelic semi-smile  and  eyes that  never  tell lies, BobBiswas,as played by Abhishek Bachchan in one of his finest performances, looks like  anything but an assassin.Abhishek Bachchan with his bewildered  expression and bemused  responses to the world around him, is the pitch-perfect BobBiswas. Murderously innocent , hopelessly lost in a Kolkata he abandoned many  years ago. Now  he reclaims a  city , a life  and a family that have moved on.With tragic consequences.