‘Mann ka ho toh acha hai, na ho toh…’: When Amitabh Bachchan revealed his life philosophy

Amitabh Bachchan with his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan. (Express Archive Photo)

Bachchan explains it with gentle conviction: When things don’t go the way we want, maybe it’s not fate working against us but something bigger—a divine force choosing a better path for us—one that our limited vision couldn’t imagine for ourselves. This shift in perspective changed how he handled failure. If something didn’t work out, he no longer saw it as rejection but redirection.

Counselling psychologist Priyamvada Tendulkar calls this awakening a “lifequake”. It’s that moment we hit rock bottom. The collapse of our old selves. She says:

“We’re born into circumstances that force us to survive, and in the process, we pick up coping mechanisms—some helpful, most unsustainable. Over time, these mechanisms become the very burden pulling us down.”

We spiral, deny, resist… until finally, we break.

It’s in this space of darkness, where there’s seemingly no hope left, that something extraordinary can begin. Priyamvada calls it liberation—the point where, stripped of every disguise, we face ourselves for the first time. And then, like the mythic hero’s journey, we rise.

“The most authentic self climbs out of that deep, dark hole. We take inventory of what serves us, and what never did. We shed our facades. We meet the world as we really are—scarred, maybe, but also finally whole,” Tendulkar says.

Bachchan echoes this same resilience when he speaks about struggle: “So long as there is life, there is going to be struggle. But tomorrow is another day—another challenge, yes—but also another opportunity.”

He doesn’t pretend it’s easy. He admits the fear of past failures still drives him. But he moves forward, still. Because now, he sees the purpose in the pain.

Both Bachchan’s philosophy and Priyamvada remind us that rock bottom isn’t the end. It’s the truth we couldn’t face before. It’s where we stop running. And it’s the only place from which we can truly rise.