Bollywood is basically viewed as a shimmering world of accomplishment and stardom but actually, it is a darker side that lies beneath the red carpets and blockbuster premieres that many of the celebrities have lived.
Some of the most famous faces in Indian cinema have become homeless and have battled bankruptcy in spite of their huge stardom. It is important to clarify that these are not the stories of the characters walking the paths unknown, but these are the tales of the mega-superstars who packed off.
The Legendary Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor, the actor-filmmaker of the lauded kind, ended up a tragic typical of turning his ambitious dream over his head. He dumped all his wealth, his heart, and his soul into the making of Mera Naam Joker, picturing it as his magnum opus. When the film bombed terribly at the box office, it brought him down to the financial bottom.
In order to pay the piling-up debts, he went as far as mortgaging RK Studios-the legendary film production house that was not only his achievement but also his heritage. This occasion signified one of Bollywood saddest financial upheavals.
Nevertheless, fate was not done yet. After the release of Bobby and the film becoming a huge hit, the huge box office collections were like a lifeline to Raj Kapoor, thus he was able to get rid of all his debts and, most importantly, rescue RK Studios from the verge of the auction.
From Big B to Broke B
Amitabh Bachchan's drop from grace was what really made the whole industry quake. The megastar, who looked like he could do no wrong, started his production company ABCL with big plans. Yet, the company's movies became a money pit that led to its downfall.
One after the other, the films Mrityudaata and Major Saab failed terribly, causing a great loss of money and pushing ABCL to a state of total bankruptcy in 1999. The situation became so extreme that his properties were literally standing on the verge of being auctioned off.
It really seemed that Big B's time had come to an end. The turning point arrived in 2000 when Mohabbatein was released and at the same time, he made his debut on television with Kaun Banega Crorepati, which turned out to be a cultural phenomenon. His career and finances got a new lease of life from these two successes and he became the king of comeback in Indian cinema.
When the price of dreams is everything
Rajpal Yadav's rise and fall deeply affects the mind most probably. In 2010, the gifted actor took a loan of ₹5 crore to produce Ata Pata Laapata, convinced it would be a hit. The movie failed very badly.
After that, a spiral into the abyss followed, seven of his cheques bouncing, leading to his arrest and subsequent three months of imprisonment in 2018. Things went from bad to worse as the amount of his loan also grew up to ₹11 crore. In 2024, the Central Bank took over his ancestral home, which was a symbol of the total wreckage of his financial world.
The Second Chances
Anupam Kher met with bankruptcy in 2004 after production ventures that failed left him with only ₹4,000. Not giving up on his dreams, he went on to establish the wildly successful acting school Actor Prepares alongside his continuous acting career.
Mithun Chakraborty
Mithun Chakraborty's hotel business in Ooty ended during his career slowdown, but he made a comeback with regional films and television.
The Lesson
These examples bring forth the very unpleasant truth behind them which is that success in movies is temporary and that financial decisions taken when one is prosperous can actually be the reason for one surviving the crisis. The biggest stars of Bollywood underwent this bitter experience and were forced to learn this lesson.
