Vidhu Vinod Chopra is one of the most talented filmmakers in Bollywood. Some directors have made a name for themselves, and the audience is guaranteed a good film just by their name on it; Vidhu is one such filmmaker. However, did you know that the director, recently lauded for his film, 12th Fail, once gifted a luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom worth Rs. 4 crore to actor, Amitabh Bachchan?
Vidhu Vinod Chopra gave the legendary actor, Amitabh Bachchan, a Rolls Royce Phantom for tolerating and not abandoning his 2007 film, Eklavya. The filmmaker once sat for an interview and revealed that he made Amitabh pay for his stay and travel during the film shoot.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra revealed that he made Amitabh Bachchan pay for his room and his flight because he was not able to afford the accommodation for all his actors. He revealed that if he had paid for Amitabh's expenses, he would have had to pay for Saif Ali Khan's and Sanjay Dutt's expenses as well, which would have made the film well over budget. However, for Amitabh's cooperation, he later gifted the actor a Rolls Royce worth Rs. 4 crores. He stated:
"I made him pay for his room, pay for his flight. Aur phir jab bhagwan ne paise diye toh humney unka bohot dhyaan rakha."
In the same interview, Vidhu Vinod Chopra shared his mother called him bewakoof for his gesture. The filmmaker recalled the occurrences and said he would never forget what happened that day. He revealed that he took his mother with him to show his appreciation to Amitabh Bachchan and hand over the keys.
He added that his mother questioned him about the price of the car and guessed that it would be around Rs. 11 Lakh, which made the filmmaker chuckle, and he corrected her. When his mother heard the price of the car, she slapped him and called him stupid. He was quoted saying
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"I will never forget this incident. I took my mother with me when I was gifting the car to Amitabh. She handed him the keys. She came back, sat in my car, which was a blue Maruti van. She called Big B 'Lamboo.' I didn’t have a driver at the time, so I was driving. She told me, 'Tu Lamboo nu gaadi dedi?' I said, 'Haan.' She replied, 'Tu khud kyun nahi leta gaadi? I told her I would buy a car; when it was time. She responded, saying, '11 lakh ki toh hogi.' And I laughed because she didn’t know that it was Rs 4.5 crore. I told her the cost, and she slapped me, calling me 'bewakoof.' I will never forget that, because what is money if it can’t give you joy."
The 2007 film Eklavya: The Royal Guard starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Dutt, and Vidya Balan. The film featured a contemporary India with a majestic fort and a royal dynasty without a king. The film was not a box-office success but gained critical acclaim. The film also became India’s official entry to the Oscars that year.
What are your thoughts on Vidhu Vinod Chopra's elaborate gift for the actor, Amitabh Bachchan?
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