My love for all as powerful and endearing as ever

Jalsa , Mumbai       Mar  21,  2011       Mon  11 : 35 Pm

At Tanishq, the jewelry business of the Tata Group for their AV for endorsement. Jaya and I doing it together. Will be in front of cameras after Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Tried looking up if Tanishq had meaning from dictionary. Could not find any. But it sounds like a name that should have one. For some peculiar reason it conveyed in its vocal, something of elegance, creative excellence, delicate yet sophisticated !! No ! … this is not a brief from the client and neither has it been put upon me to validate on the net ! Just something that I felt and so shared it.

Shooting with Prakash Varma, who directs the film. He did the Vodaphone Zoozoo ad’s.,. Impressive ! Its raining Prakash’s, pun unintended, on my films these days. Just back from Prakash Jha and ‘Aarakshan in Bhopal and now Tanishq and another …

I am always overwhelmed with the number and amount of personnel that are attached with ad., shoots. There are teams for almost all aspects of the trade. And there are designations for every possible job requirement. Stains on the counter in shot - ‘ Setting !!’. Want to see how you performed - ‘Monitor !!’. Your jacket having folds -’Dress !!’. Artist shifting to van - ‘Security !!’ …. But .. nothing for the actor to perform !! Thank God ! Soon put us out of job !

In all a most conducive administrative corporate feel at shootings these days ! Unlike what we had some years ago, where everything seemed home grown.

Sleep has some remarkable benefits. One of them being that having got back home early and taken a nap, I now find myself less inclined to get to bed, even though I had hoped to be in it by the hour of 10 ! And its nearing past midnight ! But then had opportunity to read through the responses with greater alacrity. To digest the moods and the respective words of a variety of individuals. Some are brief, almost dismissive, polite and respectful yes, but brief. Others come across with details of the day they spent. Some with their issues of the day, their associations and reactions to some of what others say. There is the analyst too, that dissects each and every word and thought put across and gives it legitimacy. There are poets and sooth sayers. Poets that compose some of the most lucid writings and sooth sayers that predict results of games, box office fate and more …

Delightful all of it. Its the spice of life. And never is there a day when the importance of the platform as a wonderful element of togetherness missed out. I feel humbled and blessed when such expression takes shape. In a world that is determined to take people apart, we here make every effort to remain together. To build, hold hands, share, give, express. To expand to other vocations that would link us even further and stronger. Its like spreading that very delicate sheet to its maximum without a tear or blemish. To show how capable we are in doing so despite grave concerns by others of it being of no consequence. Those that fated its burial are themselves buried in the success of our venture. We never willed it so and neither shall we ever. But life commits deeds that brings parity and poetic justice. And when it does we must remember that to gloat on it would be most destructive. Not to the other, but to ourselves. We must remain pure and dignified and of value. We must know of it and not be told or instructed of it. Our own assessments are the most important and most cogent. And only we have the gift of doing so. I must know when I have done well and know too when I shall fail. I shall acknowledge the assessment of the other, but not fall prey to his rank of importance, irrespective of how complimentary it may be.

It is the easiest to follow the impressions of those that call upon you to impress. But we must know within us what worth we carry. That really is the truth. That really is what shall build our faith and strength.

What you shall build individually shall remain eternal. That and only that shall stand you in good stead !

My love for all as powerful and endearing as ever …

Amitabh Bachchan