He paid Rs 120 crore in taxes and became India’s highest tax-paying celebrity for FY 2024-25, surpassing Shah Rukh Khan (Rs 92 crore) and Thalapathy Vijay (Rs 80 crore), who are decades his junior in age and in their exploits in the film industry.
At 82, Amitabh Bachchan makes the art of pushing beyond limits look easy in a world where age is often perceived as a barrier to new challenges.
“Amitabh Bachchan is the face of trust,” says Sonya V Kapoor, founder of M5 Entertainment. “When it comes to credibility, the first name that pops up is his. He’s built a legacy through sheer discipline.” Kapoor likens his achievement to MS Dhoni’s in cricket: “Both have faced struggles, but their resilience has set them apart.”
That reassurance is why, in the first half of 2024, Bachchan was one of the top three celebrity endorsers in India. According to TAM’s Celebrity Endorsement Report, his face appeared in 41 campaigns during this period — ads that collectively ran for 16 hours a day across multiple platforms. He accounted for 4% of all celebrity endorsements during this period. Industry insiders say he charges between Rs 11 crore and Rs 15 crore per endorsement — a price that companies are willing to pay because Bachchan’s face doesn’t just sell; it reassures.
“Amitabh Bachchan is No.1 on the TIARA ratings of the Indian Institute of Human Brands on the Trustworthy factor,” says Sandeep Goyal, managing director at Rediffusion. “That one attribute alone drives his continued popularity. Interestingly, his Trustworthy score is equally high across all genders and age groups, which is unparalleled and unique,” he adds.
The actor’s influence bridges generations. He has over 37 million followers on Instagram and 49 million on X — a digital footprint that rivals India’s biggest contemporary stars. His cinematic legacy spans eras: for Boomers, he’s the brooding angry young man of Sholay; for Millennials, the wise patriarch in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham; for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, he’s the eccentric grandparent figure from Bhootnath and the mystical Guru in Brahmastra.
His gravitas transcends entertainment. Bachchan has often been India’s go-to voice in times of public uncertainty. The “Do Boond Zindagi Ke” polio campaign used his presence to build trust. During the Swachh Bharat mission, his endorsement lent authority to the cleanliness drive.
For this reason, Bachchan is often considered the “firefighter” of Indian advertising, say industry experts. When Cadbury faced consumer backlash over a worm infestation scandal, Bachchan fronted campaigns to restore public trust. When Maggi found itself embroiled in the lead controversy, Bachchan’s presence helped the brand reclaim its place on Indian shelves.
More recently, digital payments platform PhonePe leveraged his iconic voice for merchant confirmation speakers — a simple “Payment received” in Bachchan’s baritone is enough to reassure millions of small business owners across India.
The actor’s ability to balance consistency with evolution is key to his longevity. His brand no longer pivots on the conventional idea of ‘fairness’ or machismo; instead, he champions values like dependability, responsibility, and integrity, experts say. “Bachchan’sinfluence transcends cinema, making him a cultural institution whose appeal remains undiminished even after five decades in the limelight,” concludes Yasin Hamidani, director, Media Care Brand Solutions.