Children are the joy of our lives they are the ultimate happiness in this world

Jalsa , Mumbai        Sept  26/27 ,  2011      Mon/ Tue  12: 21 AM

Children are the joy of our lives .. they are the ultimate happiness in this world .. and I have spent an entire day in that happiness today .. I shot an ad., for FORCE Motors at Karjat a few hours drive away from Mumbai at the BIG ND Studios, built by the great Nitin Desai an art director who came up from most humble beginnings to today, have the luxury of a vast studio spread over acres and acres of land.

The kids that we imagine of today are indeed not from our hemisphere, they come from some other planet. They are here with us pretending as normal humans, but they are indeed aliens with the superiority that none of us shall be able to comprehend or master !!

Most of the day has been spent locked inside this SUV Force 1 which I am brand ambassador for, dealing and keeping myself entertained by 6 of the most precocious children I have ever come across lately. From the latest gossip in tinseltown to the politicotown thet are aware of all. They have an opinion of their own, they have reasonable arguments supporting their views and when in doubt, reflect back to their parents and their beliefs on issues as serious as what the future of the country shall be.

From the care and consciousness needed for the environment of the region to the reasons for the failure of certain films, they have it all … pat ! Confident and relaxed, they do not have a care in the world. And one wishes desperately that they would ever remain so.

They have dialogues of favorite films at the tips of their tongues. They have an entire episode learnt with the expressions in place and the winning answers. And they have their own interpretation on the popular issue of corruption in the country and what needs to be done to cure it.

In the middle of all this, they are diligently following instructions on how they need to act when the camera starts moving, and never make a mistake !! I mean … who are these kids and how and where have they suddenly come from !!

They know their Bugatti’s and Lamborghini and their Ferrari … they know the 2G issues and the present news items that ‘break news’. And apart from all this, while you try to assimilate all that they have to state, they shall suddenly test you with the most simple yet complicated question to answer !!

I shall not deliberately enumerate the moment of the questioning, for, embarrassment is certainly not a trait that I take seriously to. And suddenly as this concoction of six belts out event after event, question and opinion after opinion for me to digest, one of them of 10 shall turn to me in that same child demeanor and inform me that his brother was a great fan of mine ..

” He saw every film of yours, Uncle. And now that I am acting in films he wanted me to arrange a meeting with you. But .. you know when the Opera House blast happened, he was going up the lift in the building on a non working day and he dead now ! I miss him very much !”

A moment of sudden silence …

And then as though nothing had happened, he starts his antics with the other 5 seated along with him in the SUV … playful, mischievous and so lovable with his method of speaking.

” Will you get me a role in a YashRaj Film .. I will give you the DVD of my film ‘Chillar Party’ .. if you tell Yash Chopra, he is a friend of yours, he will give me a role in his film.”

And then immediately back to pushing and shoving and pulling with the others .. ! I mean who are these guys ? They are not normal ..

But the child’s abnormality is his or her cutest factor .. it is the closest they shall ever get to being normal. May they ever remain so !!

I rest now, as I would for the next two days to repair my chest and rib .. Shekhar Kapoor shot the commercial today and it was wonderful catching up on old times with him ..

Sleep well dearest ones .. I shall too provided you do too ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Happy Rosh Hashanah a time to seek love and peace and togetherness Amit Jii

Jalsa , Mumbai     Sept 25/26 ,  2011     Sun/Mon  12:19 AM

Happy Rosh Hashanah .. a time to seek love and peace and togetherness, to forgive, to understand, to be compassionate and to acknowledge the beliefs of one another ..!!

Vikas Agarwal .. your birthday tomorrow, well today actually, and so wishing you all the best ..

But a day of Sunday of rest and recouping did in fact give opportunity to recover lost sleep and ground for repair on the rib and the hairline fracture …

The morning was spent in mourning and visiting the house of Surinder Kapoor, Anil and Boney Kapoor’s father’s place to be present before they performed the last rites. Such moments bring sorrow to those that are directly affected. Such moments bring sorrow too to those that witness, for, in each of us there lies a story and a visual of an event that was more personal to you and involved your own loved one. Visions of the moment when your own loved and dear were in similar state and condition. And it is disturbing. The more you wish to remain away from it, the more it chases you and never does allow to be a part of that. The immediate wish and desire is to shy away, to not face it, to not allow it to take you along with it. But it does. And it does become difficult. The pain of such suffering is immense. But it is a pertinent reminder that no one shall be able to get away from this reality.

The wife is back after spending time with the children and grandchildren and full of delightful stories of them and their mischief. Grand parents live for such moments in life. We are no different.

But after the rest and the Sunday crowds, a visit to a function for the competition on body building by athletes from all over the world. And goodness … they are unreal these gentlemen and … women ! Its like seeing one of those hand painted structures of the human body, where every aspect and muscle is enhanced for better look. But here it is reality. No hand painted or structured abstract figures, its the real stuff, the real McCoy. Just so incredible !!

A quick exit from here to be at an Award ceremony for Television .. the ITA and 2 awards for me - an award for ultimate excellence through the years, and the other for best anchor for KBC. Some short speeches later back home to contemplate what needs to be done on the blog and on the twitter and how to convey and conduct what would be of interest for you …

What really is of interest for you ? I have often wondered. My routine of the day the work and its consequences ? Or my opinion on certain matters local and general ?

I find it most amusing how, particularly on twitter, the level of questioning is rather unique. Its almost like, at times, a reprimand or an assessment of your act or deed, done or undone, is dictated to you. Many shy away from it. They are not in the business of wanting to hear the negative or the undesired. But on a virtual platform, that exists and invites comment, it will not be possible to hear good all the time. Also it would be unfair to expect such activity. We are not all good all the time. Neither are we all bad all the time. A healthy mix of the good with the bad would do nicely. But one would have to have the courage to bear the adverse, to not allow it to cause disturbance, but instead to learn what needs to be kept or what destroyed. Many a time I find that even in the adverse their is an element that teaches me and that coerces me to accept it with the intention and hope that I shall benefit from it. Better do you not think … !!??

Its an early call tomorrow .. to far away place away from Mumbai … driving distance but away, and so it would need to get on to the road and beat the morning traffic, soon enough ..

Doing a commercial for FORCE Motors and the SUV that I had launched some days ago…

Good night then and sweet dreams … as always ..

My hairline fracture on rib has a companion - Mr Abhishek Bachchan

Jalsa , Mumbai       Sept 24/25,  2011         Sat/Sun  12:32 AM

My hairline fracture on rib has a companion - Mr Abhishek Bachchan. He has had a hairline fracture on his finger on shoot in Jaipur for ‘BolBachchan’. Was on his way to the Hotel after pack up and the crew playing cricket hit a ball in his direction, which he tried to prevent from hitting his face and damaged his finger. Its got a fracture and he is in a splint and bandage, but operational !!

The song and shoot for the film ‘Department’ got over today and that is all. My work is over. A special friendly appearance for Ram Gopal Varma and my 7th film with him. Done !!

Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings at the Championship League T20 cricket in a absolute clinger. Holding our breath till the last ball was bowled and finally did it. A little unlike the team, but Bhajji as Captain in the absence of an injured Tendulkar did the trick along with Slinga Malinga ! Quite amazing. Least expected from these two to win a game for their team !!

And while this was on, just heard the sad news that Anil and Boney Kapoor’s Father passed away. Mr Surinder Kapoor, a kind hearted and affable man, a Producer of eminence in his own right, passes away.

One does not know where to begin. So much is happening and happening fast and in such a destructive manner. Putting on the television is like a kaleidoscope of different Breaking News in different colors these days.

There are deaths of prominent celebrities, earth quakes in the North East, devastating in intensity in Sikkim particularly, monstrous floods in Orissa, upheavals in the Government administration and its cabinet of Ministers, .. one just does not know where to start … or indeed start at all ..

The old and practiced art of astrology seems to be paying dividends. Most of all these troubles had been predicted by some quite a while ago, and as always we had  and have taken them all with a pinch of salt. But really though, what does one do in such circumstances. If you believe in them you succumb to the craft of the unknown yet known and that could be equally destructive to the mind as would similar effects which were not known and become known !

There are some faithful followers and believers of this art. It is we must all admit, a craft that tickles our mind and nature. Who does not want to hear predictions, particularly those that concern yourself. When will I be successful, what is there in store for me, what about my family and friends, will the good times continue or will they end, if they are to end when would the times start again … and on and on and on …

By the end of it all we are conducting every breath we inhale to be guided and dictated by the sooth sayers and predictors. I am not so sure whether this is such a good idea, but who cares. No one. We may all make these very diplomatically correct observations and feel somewhat glorious in our most un conservative thought processes, but somewhere I think we do feel that we are vulnerable to that which is unknown. And it is our incessant curiosity that prevails and colors us in a light which pushes us to believe what is being predicted for each one of us. We may seem cynical about it .. and perhaps in the presence of many others .. but in our solitude of mind and spirit we do want to learn of the unknown. We do worry and be conscious of the fact that we know what is to befall us.

I must rest my hairline .. I must obey and listen to the advice of the EF .. and I must tell, some of them that have prepared various promo acts for BHTB and sent it to me for uploading that I am not conversant with the technology that can load them on Blog, hence the delay. But I am at it and soon after a meet with the server, I shall be in a position to post them all up. So do bear with us.

I must thank Prabbir for the effort he took in composing that wonderful poem and to tell him that he is not ignored or cared for or paid attention to. He is heard and read and reacted to, just like every other EF …

I may not have gone ‘yellow’ for some time now , but have never ever not read through each comment and felt warmly towards those that send wishes or greetings or voices of concern towards me .. thank you all that exist with me .. for I do too the same .. and hence …

Amitabh Bachchan , with love and sweet dreams !!

Further bad news reigns the evening hours Amit Jii

Jalsa , Mumbai              Sept 23/24,  2011        Fri/Sat 1:17 AM

Further bad news reigns the evening hours - Vasant Sathe eminent Congress Party senior leader and one with whom we shared a comfortable and able relationship, passes away. Surprising … since just two days ago he was Tv in a debate ! He was a most affable individual and during the time when I was an elected member of Parliament, would be of great encouragement to me. Prayers for his soul.

Then … have just come to learn of Jagjit Singh, that famous ghazal singer, to have had a sudden brain hemorrhage and is critical in hospital. A man with a silken voice, effortless and so endearing in all the most important and popular renditions of his. May he recover fast. He has had a traumatic life after the death of his only son at a very young age in a rash driving accident.

And … the night before was not too comfortable for me, with my pain. The night before was better, but last night was a disturbed one. So early morning before setting off to shoot I spoke to the doctor and he advised we do an X-Ray after my return from work. Work finished by 10 PM but the doctor appointment remained. He had a change of direction and felt we should do a Ct Scan instead. So off to Nanavati and under the scanner and out of it in minutes and now confirmed … there is a fracture in the rib .. albeit hairline. It cannot be given any treatment, for, such ailments are left to heal on their own and this one shall be no exception. That takes care of the next 3-4 weeks because that is the recognized healing period. Bear the pain and that is it… Damn !!

But at the shoot there seemed to be no problem. Its a song and dance sequence and that went off quite well. Well from the point of view of the ailment that I carry. Whether creatively it is satisfying shall only be known when you see it !!

Sometimes it is such a joy to do your own bit without it being choreographed. And that is exactly what the situation demanded. Freaking out !! And that too on 5D cameras … you never can tell in them where they shall be capturing the movement. Tomorrow again at the same location and hope it is the end of my work in the film - a small cameo as a guest appearance for Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Department’ !!

There is something about cleaning up !! Like cleaning up your desk ; the extra paperwork, the objects merely put aside on the table with the intent of attending to it someday. Wrong ! Attend to it now at this moment, finish with it and do away. Staying with it for any length of time shall merely help you store greater stuff really unwanted. Is there not a lesson in life here !!

The hot water bottle has become my greatest companion for the last two days and with the results of the ct scan it looks like I shall stay with it much longer than I had imagined. Its such a useful element in the house. And from the time I realized the difference between hot and cold, the hot water bottle has never undergone any change in size or shape. It has been like this for donkeys years. The winter in Allahabad and Delhi are distinct reminders of it. If you were lucky and good, the only bottle in the house, for, that was only what we could afford, would move around from person to person in the family, to give comfort in the biting cold. Usually we would desire it inside our beds, to warm up the sheets before we sneaked into it and felt the bite of the cold on the white cotton sheets. But stomach aches, pains of the muscle, fermentation and ‘amrit dhara’.

So how many of you remember ‘amrit dhara’, that bitter curative drops of all ailments from indigested food to the pulled calf muscle. A couple of drops of that reddish liquid from a reddish bottle, on to spoon full of sugar and … a swift intake and that was it … never a problem ever again. Now its different !

I wish to spend more time with you .. but I know I would be damaging my rib even further .. so I retire !

Amitabh Bachchan

The wound heals, as do all wounds both external and internal Big B

Jalsa , Mumbai         Sept  22 ,  2011           Thu  11: 34 PM

The wound heals, as do all wounds both external and internal. The body responds with limitations but responds .. and the work on set is limited and ends ahead of time .. to do what ? Nothing really but to get occupied with the greatest distraction of all time -The Television .. !!

Debates and accusations .. counter accusations .. dramatic interludes and daring presentations. Clippings of old footage sown into the present scenario … visuals deliberately doctored to suit and match the circumstances of the moment .. and then … suddenly …

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi … passes away !!

An icon of the cricket world, a gentleman with the grace and dignity of a prince in shining armor, a delight at social gatherings … suddenly gone !

His Royal background and his contemporary thought and outlook made him a most endearing human. Many glorious evenings had been spent with him and common friends till the late hours of the night. Many an impromptu ‘gully cricket’ had been played with him inside the narrow and make shift spaces of a Cooperative Society. His quiet but delightful sense of humor gave the evenings a different touch. He was a brave and courageous leader, aggressive and determined to win for his team and country. He was a ‘deadly’ combination of the elegance of his royal blood and the dynamism that he projected on the game that was almost the religion of the country. When he married Sharmila Tagore or Rinku Di, as Jaya and I often addressed her by her pet name, I was there at the informal reception at his Delhi residence and since then many a pleasant evening had been spent with him. At a charity cricket match at Brabourne Stadium he played against me - me bowling and he batting. Every ball that I bowled he smacked to the boundary. Among his many other accomplishments on the playing field, many shall perhaps not know that he was an admirer of the Indian Classical music and was a trained tabla exponent. Impromptu music evenings at common friends are proof.

Rinku Di and I have worked together in several films together. In fact Jaya’s first film in Bengali was with her. Today as she bears the loss of her husband we send our heartfelt condolences to her and the family - Saif, Soha and Saba .. Our prayers are with you .. and may the Almighty give you strength in this hour of grief ..

I do not have heart to indulge in any other conversation for today, so I do hope you shall understand ..

Amitabh Bachchan

So … before all else let me clarify and inform that all is well with me Big B

Jalsa , Mumbai           Sept  21,  2011                                 Wed  9 : 45 PM

So … before all else let me clarify and inform that all is well with me .. yes I did have an incident on the set today while shooting a mild action sequence .. got hit either by an elbow or the butt of the security carrying a carbine in the shot … and its ruptured internally the flesh cover over the rib .. its mild .. its a bit painful when I breathe, but shown it to the doctor and he says its mild and shall repair on its own, because its internal ..

I did in the course of my conversation on the twitter put it out as part of my daily activity, but the media took it as news worthy - which they generally do even when you sneeze - and that has caused some concern among well wishers and friends who have been calling up frantically …

It shall take some time to heal .. I am moving about and shall be at work tomorrow .. relax !!

We are all living in an ‘instant’ world .. instant news, on instant matters, instant reactions from those concerned, if you are lucky a discussion on prime time, a poll on the mobile to gauge the mood of the public and to make for the funding of the programme from the mobile carrier and then … on to the next disaster or story or discussion, ‘instantly’ …

The first lost and forgotten ..

Nothing wrong with this .. its how the cookie crumbles these days ..

I was at the function of the Jnanpith Award as you know in Delhi to decorate the Urdu poet Shahryar. Some of the followers on the twitter wanted me to post a few of his works and words. So I did them and felt good that I was able to do so. On presenting them in Hindi, I got some reactions from some of my Pakistan followers that since they do not read Hindi if it could be put out in Urdu, a language they speak and is their national tongue. So I did that as well. Which to me looked pretty exciting, because I do not know Urdu but thanks to the Google Transliterate, it all became possible and I could live momentarily in the glory of that effort. The problem is that not knowing the language could mean a wrong translation by the machine, which we would never know. So whether this could be a constant matter in the future is extremely doubtful.

The mere time consumption is the deterrent. You open twitter. You go to Google Transliterate. You write in Roman English for Hindi. Each word at the press of the ’space bar’ brings up the word translated in Devnagri the text for Hindi script. At times because the machine reads words as they are written it translates it directly. If there is a mistake it gives options by pressing the delete button. The correct word chosen you move on to the next word. And so the entire process of writing a sentence gets completed. Now since the digits allowed on Twitter is 140, it is difficult to count them when writing another language or script, since the count changes. Having done this to approximation you select all, copy and move back to Twitter, get to your designated space on the blank box, highlight it and paste the translation and press tweet for it to get posted. Finally !! This takes a while. After and as you gloat in the execution of the process, you skim down the responses to discover that a fan from Pakistan cannot read Hindi and would I please put it out in Urdu … !!!

So back you go through the whole process - roman english, to urdu to paste and when it appears you get them saying that some of the urdu spellings are wrong .. so would you please write it in roman english on the twitter page. So dutifully you do that and sit back to breathe on your ailing chest rib cage, when you discover a fan which informs you that they know neither Hindi or English and can you put out the explanation of the poem … !! And as you contemplate doing so, you discover that there are queries from fans saying : ‘how about putting it out in Telugu and Spanish … and …. ‘

No … ladies and gentlemen I am afraid I am not that well conversed in every language of the world .. so I do hope you shall appreciate the effort made and allow me to go and have my dinner … for, there have been a million reminders that its getting cold .. !!!

Love you all … and do interpret that in all the possible mother tongues of the world …

Amitabh Bachchan

At the gym in the early hours after almost eternity errrm ok 8 days

Jalsa , Mumbai         Sept 20 , 2011       Tue  11:24 PM

At the gym in the early hours after almost eternity … errrm .. ok 8 days .. but what a difference it makes. Been jumping around all over the set, even though most of the time I have had to sit for the sequence. When the body responds it is the most delightfully expressive period of the day. Every thing seems bright and healthy. There is a ring in the air and it is not the call from the mobile. Its … well .. indescribable …

The tragedy of the earthquake in Sikkim as the epicenter and which has spread across the entire northern region of the country, is alarming and sad. The news filtering in is depressing. Our facilities for relief in such moments is still wanting and it is most terrible to see visuals of those that have suffered, managing their lives on their own. Many of the destinations in this hill region have been unreachable because of the roadways being cut off. The army is working round the clock to ease matters, but it is a most difficult task and one can only pray and hope that relief reaches the victims in rapid time and that they are safe. One keeps getting alarming figures of the causalities borne by those that were caught directly and they are all most sad. Sikkim of course has had to bear the deepest cut, but the adjoining regions have had no less - West Bengal, Nepal, Bangladesh, NE regions, Bihar and UP .. even down to mild tremors in Maharashtra ..

My prayers for those that suffer and have lost property and life ..

On the mention of Sikkim, my thoughts immediately ran to my dear friend and neighbor Danny Denzongapa, for he belongs to that region and on very short notice disappears to his home land to visit his village, to which he has to walk to. I called him and was happy to learn that all was well with him and his relatives friends and their homes and business.

Having got home early I spent sometime in front of the Tv watching some very dramatic Chinese action films. They are so amazing. Their stories resemble ours, but their technology is quite remarkable, fresh and innovative. Their speed of action sequences is so fast and quick that it takes a while before you realize what was going on, who won and who lost. Eventually of course the remote won ! Within a few minutes the remote came into being and that was it - the end of that sequence, that picture and switch off !! Enough flying, dodging acrobatic heroes ..

But then we were no less in our hey day. Punching kicking and fighting our way through all kinds of insane situations. Most cases, the villains were common in all, just a slight change of costume and we were transported to a fresh and new environ.

Artists are so adjustable ! Put us in any situation or circumstance and we shall find a way to express ourselves in exactly the way the director wants, even in trying circumstances. We may resist a location on first sight, but when it is understood that there shall be no way out, we get into it as though we had lived there for an eternity. The mud, the dust the heat the cold … everything just wishes away and all that remains is the desire to excel in whatever has been offered to us. …

I must write more, but strangely when I have rested well and not encountered other … the results have been quite the reverse .. odd is it not ??

So in keeping with the text and tone of the post … good night, shubh ratri, navratri, shabba khair ..

May God bless you all ..

Love, love ….. love andlove

Amitabh Bachchan

Hello to all my dear friends of EF Family

Hello to all my dear friends of EF Family

Friends today i am very very happy. I am so much happy that i can not explain it into words. And also i don't have words to explain how happy I am.

Today my long waited dreams have come true. Today i met my IDEAL and GOD like, the greatest ACTOR of the Millinium  and the GENIUS Person who is also the Super Star of Hindi movies. My meeting with him was for few minutes and a small fan like me got chance to have a hand shake with him as well as take some pictures with him. I got chance to be with my most favorite person in the world.

I also gave him a nice poem as a gift which was written with the help of Mrs Vidya Jarolia and me. Amit Jee accepted the poem with grace and also autographed it. After meeting Amit Jee i have not been able to sleep properly and his face is always coming infront of me whenever i am closing my eyes.

At this moment i think of these lines by Kishore Kumar jee

(haal kyaa hai dilon kaa na poochho sanam

aap kaa muskuraanaa Ghazab dhaa gayaa

ik to mahafil tumhaari haseen kam na thi

us pe meraa taraanaa ghazab dhaa gayaa

haal kyaa hai dilon kaa na poochho sanam)

I met Amit Jee at KBC with a friend of mine Imran Khan who is also from Bhopal.

The Episode will be telecast as Dushera Special episode and it will be telecast on Sony Ent. Channel on 5th and 6th October at 8:30 PM time slot.

I got this magnificent opportunity because of the fabulous persons of BIGB YahooGroup

No matter how much i thank Fatima Mahomed, Nandita Kao and Kishore Bhatt, It will be always less for them to thank.

Thanks thanks thanks thanks so much 

 

Your Friend

Mahendra Gorele

+ 91 9179947575

mahindra.gorele@gmail.com

mahindra.gorele@yahoo.com

Harivans ke do hain arth Amit Jee accepted the poem with grace and also autographed it

Harivans ke do hain arth..

Hari ka prabhu aur vansh ka kul..

Prabhu ka kul aur sada samarth..

Bachchan kul ke Deepak pyare..

Jinke liye hum aaj padhare..

Amitabh bachchan hain unke lal

Jisne kar diya kamal..

Jisne aisha game khilaya..

Nirdhan ko dhanwaan banaya..

Hotsheet pe jo bhi aaye..

Prasanottar de sampatti paye..

Jo na ban paye crorepati..

Who bhi unke gun gaye..

Paisa to hai aana jaana..

Khaas baat unhe mil paana..

Khel mein jo jan na aapate..

Darshak ban man mein harshate..

Baithe log bhi khusiyan paate..

Bacchhan jee jab hath hilate..

Hari se vinti yahi hamari..

Sada sarvada vijay tumhari..

Smt. Vidya Jarolia & Mahi Gorele

Namaste mere EF ke pyare Dosto

Namaste mere EF ke pyare Dosto 

Dosto Mai Aaj Bahut Bahut or Bahut hi khush hoo.

Mujhe itni khusi mili hai ki mai apni khusi shabdo mai baya nahi

kar sakta hu. Kyoke mere paas us khusi ko baya karne ke liye 

koi Shabd he nahi hai.

 

Aaj maira Barso Ka Sapna poora hua aaj mai apne

Adarsh or Devta Roopi Is saddi ke Maha Nayak Hindi ke Maha Gyani 

 or Hindi cinema ke Maha Nayak se meri kuch pal ko Mulakat huie or mujh jese ek

 Chotta sa un ka prashansak Maha Nayak se Haat mila ke un ke saath 

 kuch photos liye. Mujhe mere sabse pasandeeda vyakti ke karib aane ka Sobhagya mila 

 bhale kuch pal ko hi sahi.

 or maine apni ek sundar rachana un ko bheth ki hai

 jise maine Smt. Vudya Jarolia ki Madad se pora keya hai.

amit ji ne badi kushi se meri kavita ko grahan kiya aur us pe apne hasthakshar (signature) kar diye.

 Amit jii se milne ke baad se mai abhi tak theek se so bhi nahi saka hoo

bas un ka hi chehra meri ankho ke samne Nazar aa raha hai ..

Bas Kishore Kumar Jee ki yeh panktiya yaad aa rahi hai 

(haal kyaa hai dilon kaa na poochho sanam

aap kaa muskuraanaa Ghazab dhaa gayaa

ik to mahafil tumhaari haseen kam na thi

us pe meraa taraanaa ghazab dhaa gayaa

haal kyaa hai dilon kaa na poochho sanam)

Amit jii se milne mai apne ek dost Imaran Khan ke sath

un ke show KBC par aya tha jo Dushsera special hai 

jo 5 & 6 October Sony TV par Rat 8:30 par aaiega.

Aur yeh Shobhagya Mujhe BigB Group ke pyare Dosto ki Madad se mila hai

Fatima Mahomed, Nandita Kao avam Kishore Bhatt ko jitna dhanyavad kaha jai kam hai

Thanks thanks thanks thanks so much.

 

Your Friend

Mahendra Gorele

+ 91 9179947575

mahindra.gorele@gmail.com

mahindra.gorele@yahoo.com

Amitabh Bachchan with cast members at the release of the CD of upcoming movie

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan with cast members at the release of the CD of upcoming movie "This Weekend" in Mumbai,

Amitabh bachchan, writer & Lyricist Gulzar and Pushpa Bharti releasing the book on Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Bollywood actor Amitabh bachchan, writer & Lyricist Gulzar and Pushpa Bharti releasing the book on Harivansh Rai Bachchan' poems selected by Amitabh bachchan during the 44th Bhartiya Jnanpith awards in New Delhi

As I write now I await the arrival of a Satguru, that my lawyer wishes me to meet

Prateeksha , Mumbai          Sept  19 , 2011          Mon  8:08 PM

All in a day .. up by 6 to catch the morning bird out of Delhi .. and straight from airport to the location at Madh Island for RGV’s ‘Department’, stopping by en route to greet the son who having had his stitches removed was on his way back to join his film crew in Jaipur.

The sun was out throughout the day and what a joy to be with it. Its been almost 4 months since we saw I saw it .. well seen it often but never had occasion to dwell with it. Many abhor the situation and run for cover of any kind when out in the open. I love it though, the sun and its environs. Born in Allahabad where a cruel summer burns up the earth at temperatures of 45 to 47 degres celsius you begin to admire the ’surya devata’. And no matter where and what the circumstances be in enhanced conditions now, those days of old never leave you. Amidst the hottest portion of the day at noon and soon after, a compulsory afternoon nap dictated by the parents, would be breached by quietly sneaking out of the rear bathroom door to go and play marbles with the kids from the servants quarters. Our joys and desires were so simple and basic.

And as the day ended today at Madh for RGV’s film I decided to undertake a ferry ride to cross over the creek that connects the mainland with Madh. Asked the car to go round all the way from the location and wait the other side. Its a massive time saving device - at least a couple of hours. And the ferry and then beyond takes just another 15 to 20 mins to get in to the home. But moving at a snails pace because the initial landing ground for the ferry is crowded with inhabited millions, who through those narrow and modest lanes give one a true picture of what and where and how in such meagre conditions these people survive. But they do survive and survive well … and that really is the marvel !!

The tolerance and simplicity of the average Indian is immense. Their lives may be clustered, but not their minds. The minds are ingenuity personified. Intellectually and otherwise apparently, the Indian child is the smartest child compared to the rest of the world. But then what happens to him or her after that is what concerns all .. We are unable to carry forward the gift of talent that is getting exposed each and every other moment.

As I write now I await the arrival of a Satguru, that my lawyer wishes me to meet. He is gifted as many well wishers say, with an extraordinary aura of peace and goodwill and well being. I shall elaborate on that later ..

for the moment though ..  its good night and with love .. kind courtesy of Lily de Pena

Amitabh Bachchan

An evening spent in literature, thoughts, words and poetry at the Jnanpith Award here in Delhi

Sopaan , New Delhi                Sept 18 , 2011             Sun  10:27  PM

An evening spent in literature, thoughts, words and poetry at the Jnanpith Award here in Delhi .. an old association established with the Sahu Jain family that has instituted this award, and a joy and pleasure to get an opportunity to not just talk about the greatness of the poet ‘Shahryar’ that was honored, but also to get a moment to recite a few of my Father’s poems at this august gathering of poets and literateurs.

There has been a great link with the Sahu Jain family of Kolkata from the days of my Father. They a prominent business group but having interest and love for the finer arts had always been admirers of my Father and his works. During my early years in Kolkata as an executive I had stayed in their house for some time. Their sons Ashok and Alok and the entire family took great care of me. Ashok Jain took over Times of India, his two sons and his wife now running the media giant. Alok Jain has his own business, but looks after the Jnanpith Institution. His family has grown too and it was a joy to relive some of those old times spent with them this evening.

And the rest of the time … with Shweta and Agastya and Nikhil at their home … dinner and soccer and Man Utd vs Chelsea … and the rivalries within the family on the support quotient … Agastya a Man Utd fan and Abhishek and I with Chelsea. Agastya must be a very happy young man today for, Man U was leading 3-0 during half time .. and Abhishek and I are hiding under the table right now !!!

Its back to morrow morning to Mumbai and ‘Department’ as soon as I land. The film work for me should end within the next few days and then back to KBC.

There is much to say … but not sufficient will to say it. There is much to share … but not enough courage to bring it out. There is much to inform … but not enough desire to disclose it. The dilemma of all celebrities all over the world. Speak and be damned, speak not and be damned as well. Then there are many that speak for you. They assume the power and right and justification to bring to public information of our thoughts and actions. These have no head for any kind of credibility because they are built by those who disclose it, independently of their own accord. But having done so, and done so as the ‘first out of the block’, leave a permanent impression with the public at large as finite truth. Any effort made after that by your own truths shall only be looked upon with great skepticism and ridicule. The end results are really quite farcical. Those that build, suddenly realize their basics were wrong. Admittance of fault would destroy their credibility, owning up to falsehood would expose their intent on all future events and so they simply disappear. Disappear into the wilderness of life. And the best way to do that is to deflect their grievous mistakes by throwing up another headline searching event, completing unrelated to what they had been pursuing earlier. !!!

Then there are those ‘well wishers’ of society that have all the suggestions in the world for others, when they themselves are in the need for most of it. Their concern for the rest of the world and how it should conduct itself is so genuinely laughable that it would embarrass even the most effective rib ticklers ! For them a simple message. DO NOT try to guide and run our lives for us. We have run ours with great effect and dignity so far and shall do so in the future also. But let us for one hypothetical moment imagine that what they suggest is done. Let them then also be an active part of those consequences that befall us thereafter as a result of it. Will they admit to that ? I would think not !!

These individuals are cowards. They constitute the ugliest scum that may exist in this universe. Faceless and without responsibility or identity they live a disillusioned life and are not just worth any attention, but worthy not of any mention either …

SHUT UP !!  Then .. Go mind your loins I say. Right now they exhibit greater character …

Amitabh Bachchan

When the body needs it it gets it - rest ! One never knows how much is needed until it is given the need

Jalsa , Mumbai                Sept  17/18 , 2011                     Sat/Sun  1:21 AM

When the body needs it it gets it - rest ! One never knows how much is needed until it is given the need. I got it today. A sudden cancellation and nothing lined up gave me opportunity to know how desperate indeed the body was for an uninterrupted sleep. So … the body just slept. I did try to talk it out of it but it just had a mind of its own … and now even though its time to get back to it, it sustains itself not on any will but the fact that it has banked sleep .. ha !

Bhartiya Gyanpeeth is a prestigious institution started by a business family to honor and respect and give value to literature and the arts in the country, especially in the field of writing and writers. Its annual function comes up tomorrow in Delhi and they have called me to be the Chief Guest, to give away the years Award to the famed Urdu poet Akhlaq Mohammad Khan ‘Shahryar’. An honor for me and a privilege. It is important for us all to be linked and be in close proximity to the classics. Arts music and literature of the purest kind have a world and value that can never be substituted or erased. Its purity shall always be acknowledged and revered because there really is no other of its worth. We may never be able to appreciate the completeness and the finery of its purity, but also we may never be able to be too far away from it. The finer arts shall always have a place in society. Their rhythm and thought is the closest one can get to the divine. Even the most cultured atheist shall acknowledged this. I hope ! You never can tell with those that have strong differing views .. they have their reasons, and they have sound ground for it, and so must be respected.

Spending time with the kids was a delight today. Abhishek recovering from his injury and Aishwarya. It was a delight to reveal to them the beauty of language and script and its rhythm and graph. The little that I have understood and gained from my association with my parents, needed to be passed on to the next generation. My Father as many know translated the Bhagwat Gita from its original sanskrit form into the language and graph of the Ramayan. It is a first of its kind and perhaps never been done before or after. The beauty of language in these two particular epics is the formation of the words in keeping with a given format of rhythm. Poetry without the presence of rhythm and rhyme is as disturbing or insipid as tasteless food. The Hindi Devnagri script is unique in a manner where what is written is spoken too, pronounced too. Once one knows the language it is not a difficult task to be able to speak it correctly. Hindi is one such language where perhaps the ease is greater, unlike say for example French or even English in many ways.

For actors and those in the profession of speech and performance it is essential to know the language first I have said many times. The performance and the acting shall come automatically once the language is spoken correctly, for, each language has the elements of a performance in it. There is a particular design and style in the manner in which a language is spoken. Learning a few words and its pronunciation is not enough. You have to know its basic style of being spoken. This is the practice that authenticates your knowledge of it. The tone has to be right first before the words start to fall.

This is what I believe ! I may have been utterly wrong in this .. but I think not …

More on what goes on in Delhi then later … for now …

Amitabh Bachchan

I am a citizen of my country India and proud to be an Indian

Jalsa , Mumbai            Sept  16/17,  2011          Fri/Sat  1 : 22 AM

I am a citizen of my country India and proud to be an Indian …but do I really know my country and its people. Do I really know what the interiors the hinterland and those deprived of a livelihood exist and survive in this land. No I do not ..

I had a vivd experience of it when I was fighting an election in 1984 for the Congress. The villages that I visited, the spirit of India that I observed, the poverty, the want and yet … the pride that each inhabitant of this beautiful country had within them … was incredible ! In those two years that I spent in Parliament I realized that the system on its own would never be able to take care of those that suffer. So with limited means I began my own individual charity. Medical facilities were a huge problem with the villages and so I started medical vans which serviced hundreds of villages in the region. But politics soon took over and attacks on its veracity and intent were made questionable. Hurt and disgusted with the attitude of those that opposed this harmless social service I gave it up and stopped.

I meet and consider various such needs from those in need privately now. Whatever best can be done I make an effort for. I see the suffering and the pain of those in desperate need, but am unable to contend with it, or bring about any relief. But I persevere and continue without mention. I mention today because each day on KBC I meet personally the real India. I meet the needy. I meet those  of my country that silently pursue a life of hardship and excessive labor. They never complain, they never tire, they never give up .. !

Their strength of purpose and value. Their determination to do for others what they were unable to do for themselves and their silent perseverance is the most telling moments on Tv at KBC …

I am a tall man physically, but in front of them these citizens of my land I am a pigmy in mind and body and soul !! Truly .. ! The simplicity of thought, the clearheadedness of their minds and their will is inspirational. I salute them publicly and privately both and realize now what the great leaders of our country thought and devised our standards when they did for the entire nation …

What a brilliant set of brains and thinking they possessed .. I am blessed that they blessed this country. But I am dwarfed by their action. I am worthless in front of them and must be aware of their contributions, and the contributions of those that coerced them to form such opinion.

I must learn more .. educate myself .. know and find out .. and step out in their direction to assist, help and be more compassionate … they are my earth my soil and my soul .. surely I deserve to know them .. I must ..

Amitabh Bachchan

It matters not what time may have in store for you

Jalsa , Mumbai              Sept 15/16 ,  2011                    Thu/Fri  2 : 31 AM

It matters not what time may have in store for you .. it matters what you have stored for time ..

It matters not whether you shall be deprived of sleep at this late hour of closing ..

It matters more that there shall be many that shall anxiously wait to not be deprived of a post ..

I may seem philosophical and somewhat insane, but it is the insanity of beings that brings us life .. life to live to work to share and to deliver in the end, with commitment hope and sincerity. I shall always wish that I shall have sufficient strength to be able to live up to all three. But even if a singular were to be taken into account, I would feel satisfied. Yes I do read comment that I work too hard. Hard work is difficult to describe. I am at a loss to describe my feelings when I hear the immaturity of comments which state ‘how hard they have been working’ ! How does one really measure or gauge what ‘hard’ denotes. Does ‘hard’ have points written on it or percentages that determine for us the degree or measure of what they represent. I would tend to side with a ‘no’. Then how does one gauge ? It cannot. Because ‘hard’ is subjective and shall differ from each. Each individual shall have his or her own recognition of the abstract ‘hard’. I loathe it when I hear expressions of ‘the amount of hard work put in’. Its rubbish for me ! When you express the amount of hard work you are doing, you have given it a measure. That for me is ridiculous, because hard work is one that cannot be measured or mapped or given points for. Yes I begin my day from 6 in the morning and its getting close to almost 3 now. It shall mean in a few hours that there has been work for an entire 24 hours ! So … would you describe this as ‘hard’. And if yes could you also give reasons for it. Your yardstick shall never match mine ! And I am happy that it never shall. We all present ourselves with similar yard sticks which determine for us, what our measure for individual act is. Indeed the very fact that you have desire to measure work, is defeatist in my opinion. If you have the capacity to define your work then you are quite unconsciously providing it limit. I disagree most strongly with the notion, that there can be a limit to work. And that ladies and gentlemen is the reason for my attitude.

My body or my situation could limit my ability to work. But that in no way is a yardstick to work. Work is constant. Or perhaps not constant at all, depending on how you wish to look at it.

‘Man shall sweat and work for his bread. Women shall bear child in pain.’ It has been ordained and it shall remain. And not a single element of the universe shall have the capacity to change this idiom. So help me the maker and creator of this universe.

We are all lost in expression for that which beholds us … until we overcome this hurdle we shall remain subservient and perhaps lost …

I am too … lost in manner and mood .. and who knows in indescribable work !!

Amitabh Bachchan

The first day of any film shoot is the most terrifying experience ever

Jalsa , Mumbai          Sept 12 ,  2011             Mon 10:00 PM

The first day of any film shoot is the most terrifying experience ever ..!! And i wonder if there are other colleagues of mine that face similar sentiment .. I am certain there are many !! Its such a peculiar feel .. I mean even though this is the 6th film with RGV, its never as though there is some comfort in that .. its always .. a fresh character, a new environment from the story point of view, a new set of assistants and crew .. fresh and new colleagues … and just no satisfaction in whatever is being done .. and by the end of the day, you come home destroyed with the thought of a most futile effort at the sets ..

So I have just sent an sms to my director friend … no … not to say that I do not wish to work in the project because I am not getting it right, but to tell him how we could possibly improve or redo or some such thing to ease off this horrid feel of incompetence …. so I actually did that and while I was writing this he has replied and … well … I shall have to wait for the film to release to be able to share or disclose what exactly he had to say .. but … this I must say .. that there is a new kind of technology that RGV is using in this film and its revolutionary …

There are no lights or cutters or filters or screens of reflectors … and … hold … there is no traditional camera either… yaaa .. its just natural lights whatever is available and … no DOP .. thats Director of Photography. Its just a bunch of guys holding digital 5D cameras, which really are normal still photography cameras, and they are being maneuvered randomly from different positions and angles by six or seven youngsters, moving about in as normal a manner as possible, without coming i the way of the artists as they perform… its .. what can I say .. a most unique methodology ..

I have always felt that … and this I can say for myself only .. whenever I have rehearsed in the solitary confines of my room or van, the results have been far far better than when the camera starts to roll.

Here .. today, in front of all these new cameras, the feel is as though you are not working for a camera per se, but almost in real time with a real situation .. I mean the feel is just unimaginable !! This is fascinating and some of the instant results that one gets to see in these situations is just incredible !!

So .. it is quite possible that a sense that prevails in normal shooting conditions, because it does not prevail here, is why I may be feeling despondent .. So, my director just tells me … And I have no answer for it but to believe him and move on .. !!!

But … and sorry to keep getting back to the shoot .. the feeling of this experience is quite quite remarkable. No typical instructions on set, no commands of ‘lights, start sound, camera, clap, action’ .. nothing. You just keep doing what you have to do, even while rehearsing and the cameras, almost unseen are recording all and in a couple of days shall be edited and put up before us to reckon whether what we did was just or not …

A new film a new character a new environment and … a new technology !!! I am blessed to have the opportunity to be alive and working when I can be at the other end of an invention, a trend that shall hopefully bring about a change in the way we work or have been working till date …

I fear I was too apprehensive when I started, but feel much the better now and indeed more hopeful than just lamenting the fact that I have gone horribly wrong …

Okkaaayyyy … so this is a new film and one in which I am doing a friendly appearance for some days and that shall be it … More on this as we proceed but suffice to say that todays first day was full of apprehension, but different …

The shoot was conducted in a studio, which must have been a part of an Industrial Estate, tucked away behind commercial structures and most unlike regular floors in a studio complex. It is a structure bang opposite what was once Mohan Studios, a most remarkable location where we spent most of our early years with Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Prakash Mehra on films like Anand, Parvana, Guddi, Chupke Chupke, Abhiman, NamakHaram, Mili, Alaap, Jurmana, Bemisal, Kalia, Muquaddar ka Sikander and gosh just an endless list of fantastic times with some of the most accomplished directors of our time. The great Bimal Roy shot most of his films at Mohan Studios … !!!

What a location … lost today to the concrete commercialisation of the city. It has now grown huge skyscrapers on and about it and has buried in its deep basements the dynamic artistry of great film makers and technicians and artists. What an end to such talented creativity ..!! The scourge of most artists and their genius the world over .. from time immemorial .. !!!

Good Night !

Amitabh Bachchan

My participation in Baz Luhrmann’s film ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a mere one scene appearance as a friendly gesture

Jalsa , Mumbai          Sept 11,  2011         Sun  8:15 PM

Its a lazy day. But one that comes but once in a while … like a couple of months. And what does one do .. clean up the desk, watch sports, fill up twitter and write an early post so one can rest early for tomorrow’s first day shoot for Ram Gopal varma’s ‘Department’. Yup ! Doing a small appearance for a few days in the film. And yes I do know that many would say what is with small appearances these days. But that is what it is all about. Sometimes you do take decisions for the sake of relationships and the joy of being involved with a project because you wish to. So there. Earlier today the Economic Times wished to know a few thoughts based on similar sentiment and I said this -

My participation in Baz Luhrmann’s film ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a mere one scene appearance as a friendly gesture. Baz Luhrmann during his private visit to India last year, had dropped by my office to meet me and presented me with some paintings of a prominent painter that was accompanying him. He called last month and wondered if I would do this small role in his film and I agreed. It is a gesture. I have refused any remuneration on this too.

As to why Baz chose to ask me, is something that perhaps he would be better placed to answer. I have gone down to Sydney and had a preliminary reading of the script with the entire cast and done hair makeup costume rehearsals. It has been a wonderful experience to be a part of their system and to observe with what detail and diligence they work.
The West and in particular Hollywood is of course aware of the Indian Film Industry. Whether this little presence of mine is designed to open up ‘flood gates for more actors and collaborations’, would be utterly presumptuous by any reckoning on my part. I would imagine if and when there is a need in their stories for someone from India to be tapped they shall do so ; you have rightly observed some of the artists from here that have.
Whether the presence of Indian actors in Hollywood films shall bring worldwide acceptance for our actors remains to be seen. I do believe that this phenomenon already exists. Indian actors are a recognizable force outside Indian shores as well. I may be wrong in my assessment here, but it has been statistically proven that a larger number of the world population watches Indian movies as opposed to Hollywood – 3.8 billion to 3.2 billion. Indian films have been a significant part of the lives of various countries, prominently in regions that have hitherto remained unknown or unaccounted for –the entire North African belt from Morocco to Egypt down to Kenya, South Africa, Mauritius and the East African coast to Nigeria and many central African nations, the Middle East, Far East, Russia and now China, Japan and Korea as well, not to mention the traditional USA, UK and Europe markets where a large percentage of our expatriates reside.
Stars from India getting global celebrity managers is an individual decision. Perhaps you are unaware, but many already do. Hollywood is a richer entity and has the advantage of a more universal language, but there are several examples that I have been personally witness to, where the Indian star, with all due respect, has garnered greater notice than his Hollywood counterpart.
At the end of the day we must remember a most basic fact. We are the Indian film Industry and they Hollywood from America. There shall always be a prominence to American actors in Hollywood, just as there is a prominence of Indian actors in Indian films. A ShahRukh, Salman or Aamir may well be an unknown face in one of the towns in Mid West USA, but so would a Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise in Yevatmal or Giridih. How many foreign stars have you noticed gaining prominence in Hollywood apart from that odd Omar Sharif, Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee ? Even British artists, which really should be considered, nation wise, as individuals from the same community, have a limited presence. And how many Hollywood stars do we see in our films ? Forget Hollywood, even artists from regional cinema in India have a rare presence in our own films – Hindi film artists in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam or Bengali films and vice versa.

What would you think … makes sense ..?

Love to all ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Yes it is late but having just finished my work at KBC and devoured a meal

Jalsa , Mumbai      Sept 10/11 , 2011           Sat/ Sun  2 : 10 AM

Yes it is late … but having just finished my work at KBC and devoured a meal, have realized that time has indeed flown by and it is time that I should have been in bed. But … that is a hope. Nothing goes to sleep until the EF have been connected with and with whom is shared the thought for the day.

I am afraid there is not much that can be said after my time spent among the ‘bleeding hearts’ on this wonderful programme. Today was the episode played out to help and assist in any manner possible, those of our country that have had to face personal tragedy and are now in desperate state.

Tonight was the lady who’s husband a farmer in the Vidarbha region, committed suicide because he was unable to repay his loan. Suicides in this region have reached alarming proportions. There are so many of them that are resorting to this form of ending their lives because they are unable to repay their loans and are unable to find a remunerative medium in their business of farming to earn and pay off these amounts. They leave behind a family. They have taken the easy and cowardly way out. But they are gone and they have left behind a whole lot of people that now face the consequences of their absence.

Aparna, the lady who came by for the KBC contest as a special guest has two small daughters aged 7 and 3 and no support from any quarter. Her husband committed suicide to save the embarrassment of not being able to pay back his loan. Aparna now is left all alone. She was not even aware that her husband had taken a loan. She has gathered herself together somehow, and works on the fields in farming and making ends meet. She still keeps her ‘mangalsutra’ on her neck - the necklace worn by Indian women signifying her married status, because she fears harassment from other men, who trouble her with threats and envious motives. But she is resolved. She does not want to give up. She will fight her way through she says, bring up her children, earn her living through the hard work on the fields, build a concrete house, for the present one is weak and old and made of mud and broken tiles and give half of what she earns to the other widows in India, who she says are suffering with similar conditions … just incredible !!

She won Rs 6, 40,000 ! She will clear her loan of Rs 50,000 and shall perhaps repair her home and keep some money aside for the education of her two girls.

I did not have words to be able to express my anguish and grief at this state. But there it was. Stark, brutal and honest.

More of this later .. I fear I shall drop if I continued further .. so till then then ..

Amitabh Bachchan