Actor Arshad Warsi during the promotions of his upcoming movie, Bachchhan Paandey revealed Amitabh Bachchan's ABCL abandoned him after release of his debut film in 1996.At the press conference on Wednesday, Arshad Warsi was asked his Godfather in the industry and he mentioned Amitabh Bachchan who launched him with Tere Mere Sapne in 1996. “I would say Mr. B (Amitabh Bachchan). I started my career with ABCL, Joy Augustine, they got me in the profession. But then they left me, abandoned me. So I don't know what to call them. God father or what, I don't know,” Arshad quipped. ABCL was Big B's business venture, which he started in 1995 but it soon ran into debt.
For the unversed, ABCL was the main sponsor of the 1996 Miss World beauty pageant, Bangalore, but lost millions. The fiasco and the consequent legal battles surrounding ABCL and various entities after the event, coupled with the fact that ABCL was reported to have overpaid most of its top-level managers, eventually led to its financial and operational collapse in 1997.[73][74] The company went into administration and was later declared a failed company by the Indian Industries board. The Bombay high court, in April 1999, restrained Bachchan from selling off his Bombay bungalow 'Prateeksha' and two flats till the pending loan recovery cases of Canara Bank were disposed of. Bachchan had, however, pleaded that he had mortgaged his bungalow to raise funds for his company. Talking about ‘Bachchhan Pandey’, the movie is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala's Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. This action-comedy also stars Jacqueline Fernandez and Sanon in lead roles. It will be released in cinemas on March 18.Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment’s Bachchhan Paandey is all set to release in cinemas on 18th March 2022.