Once one of Bollywood's biggest superstars, this actor lost it all when acting on his brother's advice
The term superstar may be used prolifically now, but back in the day, it was reserved for a select few. There were very few actors in Indian cinema, who commanded the stardom and sway to be termed superstars. Most of them are still regarded as icons of the industry even gtoday. But there is one exception – a man who was a superstar, but is largely forgotten now.
The forgotten superstar who was bigger than Amitabh and Rajesh Khanna
Bharat Bhushan began his career in films in 1941 with the hit Chandralekha. But then came a period of struggle where he had few hits. It wasn’t until the 1952 hit Baiju Bawra that the actor became a star. Through the 1950s and 60s, he played lead roles in a number of hits rivalling the top stars of the day – Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Dev Anand in terms of stardom. By the late-1960s, even as his star was fading, he was still counted as one of the top stars in Bollywood, and certainly ahead of the younger generation of actors, which included future superstars Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. At one point, he was called India's richest actor.
Bharat Bhushan in Baiju Bawra
How Bharat Bhushan’s brother ruined him
Bharat Bhushan’s older brother Rameshchandra Gupta was a film producer. At his insistence, Bharat Bhushan began investing in films and became a producer. However, most of these films flopped at the box office. By the 70s, Bharat Bhushan fell into deep debt and was almost bankrupt. The actor had to sell his prized bungalow (which would later be bought by Rajesh Khanna) as well as all his cars.
Bharat Bhushan’s later life and death
By the 80s, Bharat Bhushan was able to recover financially. He, however, led a simple life. Amitabh Bachchan once recounted how he spotted him at a bus stand, waiting for a bus, which led him to dwell on the fickle nature of stardom. In 1992, Bharat Bhushan passed away at the age of 72. He had his family by his side but nobody from the industry bothered to check on him in his final days.
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