Arshad Warsi calls Amitabh Bachchan his ‘godfather’ in Bollywood but says he later ‘abandoned me’

Actor Arshad Warsi recently credited veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan for getting him into the acting profession, but added that after his debut, Amitabh and his company ‘abandoned’ him. Arshad’s debut film Tere Mere Sapne was produced by Amitabh Bachchan’s company ABCL and directed by Joy Augustine. Prior to his acting debut, Arshad had worked as an assistant director and choreographer in a few films. (Also read: Akshay Kumar speaks about rumoured rift with Arshad Warsi, calls it ‘baseless’)

Arshad spoke about his debut film and Amitabh’s role in his career during the promotions of his upcoming film Bachchhan Paandey. Arshad–along with the film’s other stars Akshay Kumar, Kriti Sanon, and Jacqueline Fernandez–attended a press conference to promote the film recently.

At the press conference, the actors were asked who they considered their godfather in the film industry. In response, Arshad said, “I don’t know how to explain that but I would say Mr B (Amitabh Bachchan) because I started my career with ABCL, if I could say that. Joy Augustine! These are the people who got me in this profession so I would say them but then they left me, abandoned me, so I don’t know what to call them, godfather or which term.” This response drew laughter from the other actors as well as the mediapersons present.

Tere Mere Sapne released in 1996 and also starred other newcomers Chandrachur Singh, Priya Gill, and Simran. The film was inspired by Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper and was a moderate success at the box office. However, several of Arshad’s subsequent films failed to replicate that success. His career eventually revived in the early 2000s with the success of Munnabhai MBBS, which had him in a supporting role.

ABCL–in full Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd–was founded by Amitabh in 1995 but was plagued by financial difficulties in its initial years. Over the last 20 years, it has only produced a handful of Hindi films, all featuring Amitabh, apart from three regional films.