Megastar Amitabh Bachchan may have had a short tryst with politics but the actor says he is still not able to get over the times as he “regrets not fulfilling the promises” he made to the people of his constituency- Allahabad.
The 73-year-old National award-winning actor took a break from acting in 1984 to enter politics in support of long-time family friend, Rajiv Gandhi.
He contested Allahabad’s seat and won by a huge margin.
His political career, however, was short-lived as he resigned after three years.
“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 said.
“I made a lot of promises to the city of Allahabad and to its people but I wasn’t able to fulfill 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,” Bachchan said during a discussion with Shekhar Gupta and Barkha Dutt at an event Off The Cuff.
Bachchan said his decision to join politics was emotional but when he got into it he realised that emotions had no place there.
“I wanted to go and help a friend, but when I went there and got into it, I realised that I am incapable of doing it and so, I left.”
When asked if his decision to quit politics cost him his friendship with the Gandhi family, Bachchan said, “I don’t think it cost me at all. Friendship is not lost at all.”
When further asked why he does not talk about that friendship, the actor said, “How do you talk about (a) friendship? We are friends.”
Indian actors are hesitant to share their political opinion as opposed to the US where big Hollywood stars take political stances during elections.
Asked if the fear of backlash and controversy prevents Indian actors from sharing their views on the political scenario of the country, Bachchan said, “You become an artiste and there are people who love you and there is a desire to reciprocate that. If it happens to be a politician who loves you then also you reciprocate that”.
