Abhishek recalls Amitabh saying: “Is this why I educated you?” after their first shoot

When you’re the son of Amitabh Bachchan, expectations are sky-high, and if you think that makes life easier for Abhishek Bachchan, think again.

In a recent heart-to-heart with The Hollywood Reporter India, Abhishek opened up about what it was ‘really’ like acting alongside his legendary father for the first time, and the complex emotional journey that came with trying to live up to his last name.

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Abhishek recalled the first time he faced the camera opposite Big B in ‘Sarkar’, Ram Gopal Varma’s 2005 political crime thriller. While the film went on to become a hit and even birthed two sequels, the start of that journey wasn’t as glamorous as it sounds.

Abhishek admitted that he was so nervous he could barely deliver a single word of dialogue. “I was literally shaking,” he said, adding that the pressure wasn’t just because of the role, but because of who he was acting with.

He described a moment from the first day on set. His line was simple: all he had to do was turn to Amitabh’s character and say, “Ji?” But even that felt monumental.

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“He has that effect,” Abhishek said, with a mix of awe and anxiety in his voice. The shot got done, but instead of basking in relief, Abhishek ran to his trailer, not wanting to face his father afterward.

But there was no escape. Amitabh insisted they ride home together. The car ride was icy silent until they reached the driveway of their home.

That’s when Big B turned to his son and delivered a line that stung more than any onscreen confrontation: “Isi liye maine itne saal mehnat karke tumhe padhaya likhaya? Dialogue bolna aata nahi hai tumhe?” (Is this why I worked so hard to educate you? You can’t even say a dialogue properly?)

Abhishek remembered the moment vividly. “It felt like I had committed murder,” he said, recalling the expression on his father’s face. The disapproval was cutting. So much so that Abhishek rang up RGV, yelling, “You dog! I told you this would happen.”

Fast forward to now, and things have changed. At 83, Amitabh often takes to social media to share proud father moments and cheer Abhishek on. But even that public affection makes Abhishek squirm a little.

“It’s very embarrassing,” he said, acknowledging the shift in how his father now chooses to express love, something he didn’t always do when Abhishek was starting out.