There are no two ways about the fact that the Bachchan family and the Khan family are the two most respected and loved families in the industry today. The power dynamics, net worth of both the stars – Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan – has always been pitted against each-other. While they have been part of some of the most memorable Bollywood films together and consider each-other family, there was a time when the two iron-willed men were not in good terms.
It could have been called the clash of the titans with two of the biggest names of the industry being at loggerheads when it came to being popular onscreen and making money off it. From brand endorsements, film projects to television shows; the 90s decade was all about the two battling it out.
The beginning of the rivalry
While there were reports stating that Amitabh Bachchan, the undisputed Shehenshah of the industry, did feel threatened by Shah Rukh Khan, taking over as the Badshah of Bollywood; no solid proof ever came our way. Right when Bachchan was trying to maintain his losing foothold in the industry amid the financial losses, it was the rising stature of Shah Rukh that started bothering him. SRK was soon replacing him on hoardings, homescreens, television shows and the bigscreen. However, push came to shove at an event organised by Shah Rukh Khan and Karim Morani. Samajwadi party leader, Amar Singh, who happened to be a close friend of the Bachchans and had even supported them in coming out of bankruptcy, cajoled Big B to join this event. However, they were shocked on being asked to sit somewhere in the tenth row. Insulted and humiliated the two got into an altercation with Khan and Morani.
"We were leaving in a huff when Shah Rukh and Morani came and offered to shift us in the front row. We said if Amitabh Bachchan and Amar Singh need to request someone to get a front row, it was a very silly situation. We were not their sponsored or paid artistes, we were invited as guests. And since we felt we were not given our due dignity, we left and they didn't have a right to stop us. There was a scuffle between us," an NDTV report quoted Amar Singh as saying from excerpts of the book."We were leaving in a huff when Shah Rukh and Morani came and offered to shift us in the front row. We said if Amitabh Bachchan and Amar Singh need to request someone to get a front row, it was a very silly situation. We were not their sponsored or paid artistes, we were invited as guests. And since we felt we were not given our due dignity, we left and they didn't have a right to stop us. There was a scuffle between us," an NDTV report quoted Amar Singh as saying from excerpts of the book.
Slipping away from the Bachchans
Projects and assignments started slipping away from the Bachchans. Not only did Shah Rukh bag two big brands being endorsed by Bachchan but also got to star in the remake of his most cult film – Don. What's more? He even succeeded in it, making it even more popular than the original one. Not to forget, KBC, which went to Shah Rukh Khan at a much bigger pay-cheque.
How industry chose sides
While Mukesh Ambani grew closer to the Khan family during this time, Anil Ambani stood with the Bachchan family. Various celebs chose their sides and gave a boost to this ego-war.
The end of the war
However, it was ultimately Amitabh Bachchan's career, which slowly took off for the second time and the addition of Aishwarya Rai into the family, which paved way for the friction between the two families to ease out. And as they say, the rest is just history!
