LOOK: Debts of 1,398 farmers paid off by Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan

As a way of giving back to his fellow Indians, Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, known for his Hollywood debut in “The Great Gatsby”, cleared off the debts of over a thousand farmers from his hometown Uttar Pradesh.

Bachchan spoke about the good deed via his blog on Nov. 20. The 76-year-old megastar said he had “taken care” of the 1,398 farmers by paying off their bank loans.

“I shall wish of course to give these settlements, these confirmations that their loans have been paid off, personally,” he wrote, expressing his desire to give the farmers the one-time settlement (OTS) document issued by the bank.

Bachchan then outlined his plan to bring 70 of the 1,398 farmers he helped to Mumbai to personally give the said certificates. To be able to do so, he had booked a train coach exclusively for the farmers.

Yesterday, Amitabh Bachchan welcomed the 70 farmers with open arms.

His daughter, author, journalist and former model Shweta Bachchan-Nanda, handed the farmers their OTS documents.

Bachchan explained that he made public his good deeds not because he wants to be praised, but because he wants to encourage other people to help the impoverished.

“There is no desire for praise and back slapping… exploitation of the moment is not desired,” Bachchan stated on Nov. 25. “Yes, I do publish the event in its pictures… not for any gain but to be hopefully [an] example for many others to come forward… save lives.”

Apparently, it was not the first time the megastar lent a helping hand to farmers, as per an Oct. 19 report by the Hindustan Times. Bachchan had previously divulged that he paid the bank loans of over 350 farmers from Maharashtra. JB

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TAGS: debt, farmers, India, loan, Poverty