Every film is make or break: Abhishek Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan may have been receiving lots of praise for his performance in the recently released Housefull 3, but he admits that comedy is a difficult genre. “Comedy is the most difficult as far as I am concerned because it’s that one genre that is most dependent on the written material. If it’s not funny on paper then there is nothing you can do to make it funny on screen, whereas in other genres you can create a moment out of something. Also, comedy is dependent on your team too. It’s about chemistry and timing. You could speak a funny line, but if I don’t react properly to it, it kind of falls flat. So, it is difficult.”

Affirming his belief that actors must adapt he says, “I think actors have to be very malleable and by virtue of that change every six months. There will be new trends, new approaches to your craft...so you have to adapt accordingly.” How much does a film not doing well at the box office or getting a bad review affect him? “It crushes you because it’s your hard work and no one ever likes to hear that their dedication and hard work were not good enough. But it’s a bitter truth that you have to accept. It’s the best way to improve and grow. It’s got to do with the want to come out stronger and improve upon yourself,” he says.

But what affects him the most? “Everything. We work in an industry where, if your last film doesn’t do well, you don’t get a job. That’s the harsh reality for everyone. And it doesn’t matter whose son you are. If your films are not doing well, you won’t get a film financed or distributed. Every film is make or break,” he says. His sense of humour and quick wit have often helped him tackle with Twitter trolls, and the actor says that he enjoys it. He shares with a smile, “It’s all in jest and for fun. If you are available on a social platform, you are available to everything on it and that’s fair. I just feel  that once in a while, it’s nice to give back to them some of their own medicine. And it’s fun. I enjoy the repartee after that — it entertains me. The minute they stop being witty about it and start getting abusive, there’s no more fun and you stop. That’s it, but I enjoy it.”

He also adds that he doesn’t get affected by the personal stories that have appeared about him in the recent past, saying, “I know what the truth is and I know how far to take the media seriously. I am not going to allow a third party to dictate to me and Aishwarya how we should lead our lives. She knows how much I love her and I know how much she loves me. If you are going to misinterpret something for your own convenience, then go ahead. I am a public figure after all. And I cannot make the media happy all the time. My marriage and my life are not going to be dictated by what the media says. So it’s really not an issue for me.”