Known as ‘Angry Youngman’ for his role in Zanjeer, Aitabh Bachaan’s entertainment company Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited ran up debts of over $11 million in 1999 He reigned the 70s and a good part of the 80s with blockbusters such as Deewaar, Sholay and Zanjeer.

He then approached filmmaker Yash Chopra for a role, and subsequently bagged the movie Mohabbatein. Meanwhile, Bachchan also geared up for his television-hosting debut in Kaun Banega Crorepati (the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire). Both ventures, out in 2000, fared brilliantly. Besides reinventing his career, they paved the way for him to pay his dues and reach his current $400 million fortune, as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth.

 Raj Kapoor is known as Hindi cinema’s “Showman”. He died in 1988.  Hindi cinema’s original “showman” is known for classics such as Shree 420, Awaara and Sangam. But Mera Naam Joker (1970), which he also directed, was his all-time favourite, according to Cinema Sangeet, even though it pushed the late actor-filmmaker to the edge of bankruptcy. The astronomically high-budget film just didn’t attract film-goers at the time and was a colossal flop.

The crisis lasted until the movie acquired cult status on television and internationally. Kapoor’s next production, Bobby (1973), which launched the career of his second son Rishi, added further relief with its thunderous $3.7 million takings at the box office that year, according to The Tribune. Kapoor eventually built up a net worth of around $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Known for ‘80s and ‘90s hits Ram Lakhan and Khalnayak, Jackie Shroff landed in a financial mess when he invested an undisclosed sum in wife Ayesha’s 2003 film Boom. To make up for the losses and pay off the debts owed in the making of the film, the family had to sell off everything – including their son’s bed – and move to a humble abode.

But Shroff, who grew up in a middle-class home himself, faced the challenge head-on and worked harder than ever before, taking on more work and eventually repaying everything that was owed. He is currently very active both in films and on TV, and lives in a luxurious eight-bedroom mansion in Mumbai. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he is now worth $26 million.

One of India’s finest Bollywood actors, Anupam Kher has garnered critical acclaim for films such as Saaransh, Daddy and Karma. He made the move to film production in 2005 with Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara. Unfortunately, it tanked, leaving Kher with less than US$60, he admitted to The Times of India.

His subsequent film and theatre performances, plus the launch of his acting institute, Actor Prepares, helped improve his finances and took him to his current US$70 million fortune, per Celebrity Net Worth.

Tamil cinema’s “Ulaganayagan” (“Universal Hero”) has delivered such memorable hits as Nayakan, Mahanadhi, Indian, and Bollywood successes such as Sadma, Ek Duuje Ke Liye and Chachi 420. But when he mortgaged everything, including his properties, for his 2013 project Vishwaroopam, little did he know the Tamil Nadu government would ban the film and he’d be left swimming in debt, which India Today estimated at about $10 million. The ban was eventually lifted, and the movie, with its $28 million box office takings worldwide, was a hit. Haasan incurred debt again in the years that followed, but with his 2022 blockbuster Vikram making more than US$50 million, he says he can now repay his loans and “eat to [his] heart’s content”. Celebrity Net Worth puts his bank balance at a staggering $100 million.

Known as King Khan, Shah Rukh Khan put everything he had into making RaOne, a film produced by his wife, Gauri Khan. However, when the movie failed at the box office, the actor wasn’t left with much. Reportedly, he even signed blank cheques during the production of this film. However, Don 2 and Jab Tak Hai Jaan proved that the actor was still very much relevant and helped him financially.