Editing Amitabh Bachchan (section)

=== Career fluctuations, sabbatical, business ventures and acting comeback (1989–1999) ===
After the success of his comeback film however, Bachchan's star power began to wane as his subsequent releases like ''[[Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati]]'' (1988), ''[[Jaadugar (1989 film)|Jaadugar]]'', ''[[Toofan (1989 film)|Toofan]]'' and ''[[Main Azaad Hoon]]'' (all released in 1989) did not do well commercially.<ref>{{cite news |title='A simple man who narrated great stories' |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/a-simple-man-who-narrated-great-stories/cid/625140 |access-date=26 November 2020 |publisher=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)]] |date=19 May 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/ampstories/web-stories/7-biggest-flops-of-amitabh-bachchan|title=7 Biggest Flops Of Amitabh Bachchan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mensxp.com/entertainment/bollywood/143885-director-tinnu-anand-main-azaad-hoon-javed-akhtar-copied-hollywood-film-amitabh-bachchan.html|title=Tinnu Anand says Javed Akhtar lied & copied 2 Hollywood films as Amitabh's Main Azaad Hoon|date=7 September 2023}}</ref> He did gain success during this period with superhits in [[K.C. Bokadia]]'s [[Crime film|crime drama]] film ''[[Aaj Ka Arjun]]'' (1990) and [[Mukul Anand]]'s [[Masala film|masala]] film ''[[Hum (film)|Hum]]'' (1991), but this momentum was short-lived and his string of box office failures continued with ''[[Ajooba]]'', ''[[Indrajeet]]'' and ''[[Akayla]]''.<ref name="SRK"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bobbytalkscinema.com/bobbytalk/adminpanel/imagetemp/TG-1991-Classifications-P1.jpg|title=Trade Guide Classification (1991)}}</ref> Notably, despite a decline in number of hits, it was during this era that Bachchan won his first [[National Film Award for Best Actor]] for his performance as a Mafia don in the [[cult following|cult]] film ''[[Agneepath (1990 film)|Agneepath]]'' (1990).<ref name="1991award">{{cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm38thNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=38NFA.pdf |title=Award for the Best Actor |publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals |access-date=30 July 2011 |page=26|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326034004/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm38thNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=38NFA.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2012 }}</ref> 
After the release of Mukul Anand's moderately successful, but critically acclaimed 1992 epic film ''[[Khuda Gawah]]'', Bachchan announced his semi retirement from the film industry. With the exception of the delayed release ''[[Insaniyat (1994 film)|Insaniyat]]'' (1994), Bachchan did not appear in any films for five years.<ref name="SRK">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7570|title=Shahrukh Khan PASSES Where Amitabh Bachchan And Dilip Kumar Did Not|date=15 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=When Amitabh Bachchan Quit Acting And Wasn't Sure About Returning To Films |url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/when-amitabh-bachchan-quit-acting-and-wasnt-sure-about-returning-to-films-6439315.html |work=News18 |date=22 November 2022 |access-date=22 January 2025}}</ref>

He turned producer during his temporary retirement period, setting up [[Amitabh Bachchan Corporation]], Ltd. (ABCL) in 1996. ABCL's strategy was to introduce products and services covering an entire cross-section of India's entertainment industry. ABCL's operations were mainstream commercial film production and distribution, audio cassettes and video discs, production and marketing of television software, and celebrity and event management.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bemoneyaware.com/blog/amitabh-bachchan-from-bankruptcy-to-crorepati |title=Amitabh Bachchan – from bankruptcy to crorepati |date=10 September 2011 |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-date=11 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011234411/https://www.bemoneyaware.com/blog/amitabh-bachchan-from-bankruptcy-to-crorepati |url-status=live }}</ref> Soon after the company was launched in 1996, the first film it produced was ''[[Tere Mere Sapne (1996 film)|Tere Mere Sapne]]'', which was a box office hit<ref>{{cite web |title=Tere Mere Sapne – Movie |url=https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2732 |website=[[Box Office India]] |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref> and launched the careers of actors like [[Arshad Warsi]] and southern film star [[Simran (actress)|Simran]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rediff.com/business/1999/apr/26abcl.htm |title=Rediff on the NeT Business News: Businessman Bachchan braves a bad patch as ABCL falls sick |work=Rediff.com |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=15 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715074014/https://www.rediff.com/business/1999/apr/26abcl.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1997, Bachchan attempted to make his acting comeback with the film ''[[Mrityudata]]'', produced by ABCL. Though ''Mrityudaata'' attempted to reprise Bachchan's earlier success as an action hero, the film was a failure both financially and critically.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/collapse-of-mrityudaata-diminishes-amitabh-bachchans-godlike-status/1/275854.html |title=Collapse of Mrityudaata diminishes Amitabh Bachchan's godlike status |website=India Today |date=31 May 1997 |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-date=3 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903220429/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/collapse-of-mrityudaata-diminishes-amitabh-bachchans-godlike-status/1/275854.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=3038|title=Tubelight Aftermath - The Director At Fault|date=29 June 2017}}</ref> ABCL was the main sponsor of the ''[[Miss World 1996|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/after-dream-venture-abcl-go-bankrupt-amitabh-bachchan-faces-legal-battle-with-creditors/1/253830.html |title=After dream venture ABCL go bankrupt, Amitabh Bachchan faces legal battle with creditors |website=India Today |date=26 April 1999 |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-date=29 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229162326/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/after-dream-venture-abcl-go-bankrupt-amitabh-bachchan-faces-legal-battle-with-creditors/1/253830.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://m.rediff.com/money/1999/apr/26abcl.htm |title=Rediff on the NeT Business News: Businessman Bachchan braves a bad patch as ABCL falls sick |work=Rediff.com |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-date=22 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722041151/http://m.rediff.com/money/1999/apr/26abcl.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 until 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010304/spectrum/main1.htm |title=Muqaddar Ka Sikandar |author=Patil, Vimla |date=4 March 2001 |access-date=16 May 2007 |archive-date=1 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201142907/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010304/spectrum/main1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Bachchan attempted to revive his acting career, and eventually had commercial success with ''[[Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998 film)|Bade Miyan Chote Miyan]]'' (1998) and ''[[Major Saab]]'' (1998), and received positive reviews for ''[[Sooryavansham]]'' (1999), but other films such as ''[[Lal Baadshah]]'' (1999) and ''[[Kohram]]'' (1999) were box office failures.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2556 |title=Major Saab – Movie |publisher=Box Office India |access-date=31 August 2018 |archive-date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827230924/https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2556 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/1999/may/22soo.htm |author=Taliculam, Sharmila |title=He's back! |access-date=16 May 2007 |archive-date=31 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831141658/http://in.rediff.com/movies/1999/may/22soo.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/2000/jan/03box.htm |title=Rediff on the NeT, Movies: A look at the year gone by |work=Rediff.com |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=8 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108083140/https://m.rediff.com/movies/2000/jan/03box.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kohram – Movie – Box Office India |url=https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2387 |website=boxofficeindia.com |access-date=1 June 2021 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516021701/https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2387 |url-status=live}}</ref>