Amitabh Bachchan, one of India’s most well-known and respected actors, has made his mark in hundreds of Hindi films. Additionally, he has garnered recognition in the Bhojpuri cinema as well. In the early 2000s, Bachchan appeared in Ganga, a Bhojpuri film that was created by his make-up artist, Deepak Sawant.
Ravi Kishan, a prominent celebrity in the Bhojpuri industry, was also a part of the film. However, in a recent interview, Manoj Tiwari, who also had a role in the film, revealed that Bachchan did not ask for any remuneration for his participation.
According to Tiwari, during the final days of shooting, he received a surprising phone call from Bachchan himself, who requested him to be a part of the film. Tiwari was taken aback by this gesture as Bachchan was already a well-established star and did not need to work without pay. However, Bachchan expressed his desire to support his friend Deepak Sawant and willingly agreed to be a part of the film without any compensation.
Tiwari further revealed that the film was initially conceptualized with the intention of selling it at a higher price. The producer believed that adding Bachchan’s star power to the project would make it more marketable. Despite not being required to do so, Bachchan willingly agreed to be a part of the film, as he wanted to support his friend. His decision to assist in this manner stemmed from his desire to help Sawant in achieving his goals.
Tiwari recalled, Amitabh Bachcha called me. It was a big day for me. Amit ji called me and said Manoj give us two days. Deepak Sawant, his makeup artist, was producing the film. Then I thought why was Amitabh Bachchan calling me? For 10-12 days, I was in a daze because it was actually a dream of mine that I meet Amitabh Bachchan and when he was standing in front of me, I was only looking at him.”
Manoj Tiwari expressed admiration for Amitabh Bachchan’s “greatness” in agreeing to star in the Bhojpuri film Ganga. Tiwari emphasized that Bachchan’s decision to be a part of the film was driven by his desire to support his makeup artist, Deepak Sawant, rather than pursuing personal gain. Bachchan willingly participated in the film without receiving any payment for his role, displaying his generous and selfless nature.
During that period, Bhojpuri films were typically made with a budget of around Rs 1.5 crore, and the producers’ earnings ranging from Rs 7-10 crore. Deepak Sawant, who was working as a makeup artist, employed Amitabh Bachchan to direct the film. Bachchan, being aware of the commercial potential of the project, decided not to charge any fees for his involvement.
Nagma and Hema Malini were also part of the film Ganga.
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