A Million Dollar Baby

By: Poonam BishtHe acts, he entertains and he earns. He has been in show-biz for more than three decades now. He has seen several ups and downs during his long career. He enjoys a cult status in India and abroad. In fact, to millions of Indians he is the demi-God, rather God himself to several of them.

By: Poonam Bisht He acts, he entertains and he earns. He has been in show-biz for more than three decades now. He has seen several ups and downs during his long career. He enjoys a cult status in India and abroad. In fact, to millions of Indians he is a demi-God, rather God himself to several of them.

But apart from the heavenly success of his numerous movies and the much-deserving adulation that he has got, there is another significant side to his never-ending euphoria. Even after spending-nah-living more than three decades in Hindi Film Industry and doing over 160 movies, Amitabh Bachchan, at 65, is still the numero uno. The ‘Undisputed Shehanshah” is still the most saleable star. The ‘moolah’ has not stopped coming even at this age. Amitabh is not merely a superstar, a divine actor or a genius. He is a brand. It might be harsh to call him so, but yes, it is true. Amitabh is in fact the most saleable brand in the market (Film Industry as well as the advertising world). He is among the highest paid actors in the film industry earning crores for every movie. And significantly, all hot-shot producers are happily shelling out crores to have this man in their ventures. At 65, he is the busiest star- yes even busier than all the Khans put together.When he is not busy in shooting or dubbing for his movies, the man is seen endorsing almost all top brands in the market. Be it cars, chocolates or other food stuff, pens, bank polices and what not! The brand ‘Big B’ sells-no wonder he is on all the channels for maximum time slot through his movies, endorsements or for delivering a public welfare message. Coming back to the commercial aspect, Amitabh Bachchan is among the highest taxpayers in the country. According to the Income Tax sources, putting together his movie earnings and endorsement deals, Amitabh’s average earning per annum is somewhere around Rs 19 crore. In June 2006, the first family of Hindi Film Industry –The Bachchans declared a net worth of a whopping Rs 227 crore in movable and immovable properties. These details were a part of the affidavit submitted by Jaya Bachchan while filing nomination papers for Rajya Sabha by-polls. Amitabh announced a donation of diamond ornaments worth Rs 10 crore to adorn the idol of Lord Balaji in Tirupati Temple following his recovery from illness last year. Well, one can imagine the commercial worth of Big B through ‘this small gesture’. The point is that ‘brand Amitabh’, whose charisma and popularity is touching new heights with each passing day, has become indispensable for the film industry as well as the advertisers. His sudden illness in November 2005, put the industry on the edge. Keeping in mind the amount of investment on Big B, its seems when he sneezes, the entire film industry catches the cold. According to market sources, money to the tune of Rs 270 crore was at stake in Bollywood (for the movies he had signed and were under production), while everyone was praying for his recovery. The legend is working non-stop in so many movies these days that some trade analysts once remarked that Amitabh has the rare achievement of having one or two releases every month. In fact time and again, box-office has witnessed the clash of twin Bachchan movies in the cinema halls with producers and directors waiting with bated breath as to which one would the audience like better. No wonder, brand AB’s worth is more than that of all other superstars put together. He is still giving all other actors a run for their money, literally speaking.