Veteran theatre owner and producer Manoj Desai has stirred conversation in the film industry with his recent remarks about award practices from earlier decades. Reflecting on alleged instances where actors were reportedly offered trophies in exchange for financial commitments, Desai said that Amitabh Bachchan once flatly refused such an offer.
In a conversation with Vickey Lalwani on YouTube, Desai recalled attending an award ceremony with Bachchan when a proposal was made. According to him, a representative asked whether the Best Actor award could go to Bachchan if Desai agreed to cover event expenses. Desai said Bachchan immediately declined, allegedly stating, “Amitabh Bachchan doesn’t buy awards.”
Desai further claimed that Bachchan told him the award would instead go to Anil Kapoor, who had already planned a celebration. Desai suggested that Kapoor agreed to contribute to the ceremony, and therefore received Best Actor that year — believing it was for Mr. India.
However, records tell a different story. Kapoor did not win Best Actor for Mr. India (1987). His first Best Actor Filmfare win came in 1989 for Tezaab, the same year Bachchan was nominated for Shahenshah.
Desai added that Dharmendra also rejected similar offers throughout his career. According to him, the late actor often felt deserving of recognition but refused to purchase awards on principle — a sentiment Dharmendra echoed publicly when receiving his Lifetime Achievement honor.
While Desai’s claims have reignited debate about credibility and transparency in historic award shows, neither Bachchan nor Kapoor has publicly commented on the remarks.