Amitabh Bachchan's political career and the Bofors scandal

Amitabh Bachchan entered Indian politics in 1984 to provide emotional support to his childhood friend, Rajiv Gandhi, following the death of Indira Gandhi. Running on a Congress ticket from his hometown of Allahabad, Bachchan secured a significant victory in the Lok Sabha elections by defeating veteran politician Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna.

His political tenure was short-lived due to the Bofors scandal that emerged in 1987, which implicated Bachchan and his brother, Ajitabh Bachchan. Although investigations eventually cleared him of all charges, resulting in a full clean chit in 2012, the intense media scrutiny and political opposition led him to resign from Parliament before completing his term. Following his resignation, he withdrew from active politics.