Ratan Tata passes away at 86: A look back at his brief foray into Bollywood with Amitabh Bachchan starrer Aetbaar

Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons and one of India’s most celebrated industrialists, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86. He breathed his last in a Mumbai hospital after being in critical condition. Tata, known for his leadership of one of India’s largest conglomerates, left an indelible mark on the nation’s business landscape and was highly respected for his philanthropic contributions.
In addition to his towering achievements in the corporate world, Ratan Tata also dabbled in the film industry. In the early 2000s, he co-produced the 2004 Bollywood film Aetbaar, a romantic psychological thriller starring Amitabh Bachchan, John Abraham, and Bipasha Basu. Directed by Vikram Bhatt, the film was inspired by the 1996 Hollywood thriller Fear.
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Aetbaar featured Amitabh Bachchan as Dr. Ranveer Malhotra, a protective father determined to shield his daughter Ria (Bipasha Basu) from her obsessive and dangerous boyfriend Aryan (John Abraham). Despite a strong performance from Bachchan, the film struggled at the box office. With a budget of Rs 9.50 crore, Aetbaar only managed to earn Rs 7.96 crore, falling short of recovering its production costs.

On IMDb, the film's plot is summarized as, “A protective father starts digging deeper into the past of his daughter's possessive, unpredictable and violent boyfriend.” Viewer reviews were mixed, with some praising the performances while others found the story lacking. One reviewer remarked, “Amitabh Bachchan gave a strong performance as always, but the rest of the cast can't act at all,” while another appreciated the film, stating, “Bollywood doesn't make a lot of great thrillers, but this one is amazing... Sure, the dubbed voices of John and Bipasha were super annoying combined with the terrible dialogues at some points.”

Despite his brief stint in film production, Aetbaar remains Ratan Tata's only venture into the entertainment industry. Following the film's commercial underperformance, he did not pursue further involvement in Bollywood.
Since news of his demise broke, Bollywood actors, filmmakers, and musicians have been taking to social media to express their condolences, and recalling fond memories of the visionary.