Abhishek Bachchan thought Mani Ratnam wanted to approach dad Amitabh Bachchan via him when called for Yuva: ‘It boosted my confidence’

Abhishek Bachchan revealed how he bagged a role in Mani Ratnam's multi-starrer film Yuva and spoke about his equation with co-stars Vivek Oberoi, Ajay Devgn, and Rani Mukerji.

Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji in a still from Yuva.

From Guru and Bunty Aur Babli to Raavan and Dhoom, Abhishek Bachchan has delivered various iconic performances throughout his career. However, in a recent interaction, Abhishek called Mani Ratnam’s Yuva, a turning point in his career, his best performance. During the conversation, Abhishek revealed how he bagged a role in Mani’s multi-starrer and spoke about his equation with co-stars Vivek Oberoi, Ajay Devgn, and Rani Mukerji.

In an interview with Times Now, Abhishek recalled how filmmaker and friend Shaad Ali approached him for a meeting with Mani Ratnam. Initially, Abhishek couldn’t believe that Mani wanted to cast him and thought the filmmaker simply wanted to connect with his father, Amitabh Bachchan, through him. He said, “I thought he wanted to get in touch with Dad through me.” To his surprise, during their meeting, Mani revealed that he was considering casting him for the role of Lallan Singh. Abhishek was baffled by how simplistically Mani narrated the complex character to him.

He shared, “After he told me the story and my character, he said, ‘I forgot to mention the most important thing. Would you like to work with me?’ I just laughed and told him what an honour it would be to work with him. I’m thankful I got Yuva at a time when I really needed it. It boosted my confidence as an actor. I’ve evolved with Mani.”

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Abhishek also recalled his bond with co-stars Ajay Devgn and Vivek Oberoi, but especially thanked Rani Mukerji, who played the role of his wife in the film, for giving him the space to flourish. He said, “I got a lot of help from my co-stars, especially Rani who plays my wife. A character can flourish if it has the ambience and space conducive to growth.”

Also read | Why Abhishek Bachchan’s road to success has been so bumpy: Burden of legacy or bad choices?

He shared that all the co-stars spent a lot of time together and became “one big family.” He complimented his co-stars for being supportive, saying, “My performance has little to do with my abilities. If it’s effective, it’s because of the way Mani wrote the character.”

Yuva tells the stories of three young men from completely different strata of society and how one fateful incident on Kolkata’s Howrah Bridge changes their lives forever. The film was a breakthrough for Abhishek and it earned him the Stardust Award for Actor of the Year – Male for his performance.

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