Abhishek Bachchan completes 25 years in Bollywood: A look back at his hit debut film

Abhishek Bachchan celebrates 25 years in Bollywood. He debuted in 2000 with Refugee, which didn't quite take off as expected.

Abhishek Bachchan debuted with Refugee, directed by J.P. Dutta. This multi-starrer released on June 30, 2000.

Abhishek wasn't keen on acting, but J.P. Dutta spotted him and offered him Refugee.

Kareena Kapoor also debuted in Refugee. She was initially set for Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai but things didn't work out.

Kareena initially refused romantic scenes with Abhishek, considering him like a brother.

Abhishek and Karisma Kapoor were dating, so Kareena saw him as a future brother-in-law, making romance awkward.

Refugee, written by J.P. Dutta, depicted the aftermath of the 1947 India-Pakistan partition.

Made on a 15 crore budget, Refugee earned 35.44 crore. It featured a stellar cast including Jackie Shroff and Sunil Shetty.