When Amitabh Bachchan made ’emotional decision’ of entering politics for friend Rajiv Gandhi, regretted it later

Amitabh Bachchan, who has been working as an actor for over five decades, also had a brief but notable stint as a politician. In 1984, he took a break from acting and entered politics to support long-time family friend, the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, but soon regretted it. He won Allahabad’s seat by defeating HN Bahuguna, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, with 68.2 percent of the votes in his favour – one of the highest victory margins ever in Indian elections. Also Read| Amitabh Bachchan turns 80, here’s why Deewar’s Vijay is ultimate Bollywood hero

Amitabh, who quit as an MP and as a politician in July 1987 after speculations surfaced about his alleged involvement in the Bofors scandal, said that he knew he wanted to leave politics much before that.

During an appearance on the talk show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal in 1998, Amitabh had said, “I am not a politician. I was never one. It was an emotional decision to get into politics. The fact that Mr Rajiv Gandhi and his family and our family had been known to each other, and shared a friendly relationship over several years had prompted me to want to stand by a friend. That was the sentiment.”

The actor added, “But politics is not about sentiment. I was not qualified. I was an absolute novice. I had a feeling about my inadequacy during that month-long period when I was actually canvassing for the elections in December 1984. I was in Allahabad, and in the middle of that month, one night very late, I just threw up my hands and I talked to my parents who were there. I talked to Jaya. I said I think I’m making a mistake and I would not like to go through with this, and please help me because I’m terribly uncomfortable.”

Amitabh shared that his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan, mother Teji Bachchan, and wife Jaya Bachchan had three different reactions to his revelation. While his wife was upset as she felt it was an ‘attitude of defeat,’ his father supported him and said they can leave the next day itself. However, the actor ultimately went with the suggestion of his mother, who told him, “Once we’re in it. We’re going to fight. We’re going to win, and then if you want to leave, we’ll go back.” Amitabh did win, but said he remained ‘unhappy’ with where he was.

While Amitabh quit politics after three years, he did have one regret. The actor admitted in an interview in 2016 that he regretted not fulfilling the promises he made to the people of his constituency. As reported by PTI, he had said at an event, “I mostly think of it because there are many promises that one makes during an election campaign when you seek votes from people. My inability to keep those promises hurts. If there is anything that I regret then it is that.”

He added, “I made a lot of promises to the city of Allahabad and to its people but I wasn’t able to fulfil them. I try to do whatever I can in any social capacity but I know it is something that people of Allahabad will always hold against me.”

Amitabh recently marked the release of his latest film Goodbye, which hit theatres on October 7. He will be next seen in Sooraj Barjatya’s Uunchai, alongside Neena Gupta, Parineeti Chopra, Sarika, Boman Irani, and Anupam Kher among others. The film will release in theatres on November 11.