When Amitabh Bachchan was called a ‘3rd rate actor from a 3rd world country’

Amitabh Bachchan shares memories of being called a 3rd grade actor

• Amitabh Bachchan overwhelmed by fans abroad at film festival
• He reflects on India's rise from "third world" status to global sporting success
• India's U19 cricket team won their sixth World Cup, beating England by 100 runs

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Amitabh Bachchan recently found himself reflecting on far more than just a cricket scoreline while celebrating one of Indian sport’s proudest moments.

For Amitabh Bachchan, the win became a reminder of how far India has come on the global stage — not only in cricket, but across fields where the country once struggled for recognition.

In a recent blog post, the actor shared a memory from his past that still lingers, despite the passage of time.

He recalled being invited to a foreign country for a film festival, choosing not to name the place. During the flight, he noticed a local newspaper featuring an image from one of his films.

Curious about what it said, he asked the air hostess, writing, “In the plane I saw their newspaper, which had a picture of one of my films...not understanding the language I asked the air hostess, what is written...she said it is a poster of a Indian film and the paper says that its actor is coming to the country.”

What awaited him on landing was unexpected. Amitabh Bachchan described being overwhelmed by crowds at the airport, struggling to even make his way to the immigration desk. “Surprised how and why this foreign country could be so enamoured by our films, on landing I found out why.....people started gathering, had a problem getting from plane to immigration desk...but the crowd kept gathering around, making it difficult for me to even walk,” he wrote.

The situation became so chaotic that police intervened, escorting him out of the airport and completing his immigration at the hotel — an experience he described as both startling and physically suffocating.

Despite the public adulation, one incident during the visit left a lasting scar. An elderly journalist from the country published a piece with the headline, “WHY IS SO MUCH ATTENTION BEING GIVEN TO THIS 3RD RATE ACTOR FROM A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY..!”

Looking back, Amitabh Bachchan admitted, “The 3rd rate actor bit was correct and accepted by me, but India being called 3rd World was hurtful.” Linking that moment to the present, he expressed pride in India’s global standing today, writing, “I repeat here for convenience. U19 Cricket INDIA .. WORLD CHAMPIONS! Thok diya dushman ko!! Blind, Women's, Men's Cricket ALL world Champions...we are NUMBER 1...ONE...on top, FIRST in the World. We are NOT 3rd World...we are FIRST World !! BHARAT MATA KI JAI!”

Also Read: When a young Amitabh Bachchan fell for a British Airways employee before Jaya Bachchan

India’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup victory, their record-breaking sixth title — clearly struck a deep emotional chord with the actor. Led by Ayush Mhatre, the young Indian side defeated England by 100 runs at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe, registering the biggest winning margin ever in a U19 World Cup final.

On the work front, Amitabh Bachchan was last seen in Vettaiyan, alongside Rajinikanth, in the Tamil film directed by T. J. Gnanavel, which released on October 10, 2025.