Amitabh Bachchan to host Kaun Banega Crorepati 5

Amitabh Bachchan to host  Kaun Banega Crorepati 5

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will host the fifth season of the popular and hit reality game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.

"Preparing now for KBC next season starting I think in a few months... creative and promo discussions today ... very interesting," Bachchan said on micro-blogging site Twitter yesterday.

KBC is an Indian reality game show based on the UK game showWho Wants to Be a Millionaire? The show first aired in 2000 was hosted by the 68-year-old actor making his maiden appearance on Indian TV.

The game show became a huge rage with Bachchan hosting its first and second seasons. Following this, superstar Shah Rukh Khan was roped in for the third. But Big B returned to anchor the show's fourth season which was aired on Sony Entertainment Television.

Earlier, last year, when the makers of KBC had approached Bachchan for the fifth season, he had asked for the opinion of his fans.

The energy levels increase as the day starts and continues for most of the day

Jalsa , Mumbai          April  26,  2011          Tue  11: 25 PM

The energy levels increase as the day starts and continues for most of the day, because there is work to be done. Many question often, and of late even more often, why I need to work still. I respond to them in simple language. I need to work because I want to work. My want is not governed by what others think, it is governed by what I think. And so it shall remain. When I shall feel the need to stop I shall stop. But I shall not stop because someone wishes that I do. My condition and my circumstance are mine and mine alone. I wouldn’t dare wish it on another. But if there are those that feel compelled to look after my welfare and wellbeing, let me first thank them for their consideration and then tell them that I and indeed all mankind will eventually be personally responsible for their own welfare and being. Others at best shall only be in a position to express, to show concern, to advise and suggest. But the final decision shall always remain, your own personal. It is we that shall ever be able to assess who and what we are. What our potential is and how far it could be possible for us to go. Others just like that boxing ring earlier post, shall be the ones outside the ring, or at best be ’seconds’ inside during round breaks. Nothing more or less. They will wipe your face, shall quench your thirst, repair your damaged face, talk endless words on how one should be fighting and then disappear. For, when the bell sounds for the next round, it shall just be the two of you again. Your opponent and I. And for the next 3 mins or whatever the time limit administered is applicable, that is how it shall remain.

Singing songs is a tough business. Recording them even worse. But enacting them in front of a camera with hundreds looking upon each and every move, is frightening. I have been through that today and feel relieved that some of the stuff that was done had elements, for which I could say were, not in the least mischievous. They were fun and had a smile within them.

My knowledge of dance has been excruciatingly minimal. And now with the modern day choreographers and dancers that have developed a style of their own, it is tough going for me ..!!  I have scraped through today with a great amount of the song, because I desired that they allow me to get into a rehearsal situation a million years before .. ha ha ha  !!! Really … the artists fascinate me on this issue. I see others lazily flow into a song and come out looking like a million bucks !! They must be terribly well designed to pick up what the move expects from them, in a jiffy. When I in the meantime keep seeking rehearsals, and retakes.

The heat is a killer on set and then what with the rehearsals and retakes it really shatters your self belief and accumen. One constantly seeks approval. A look at the dance assistants, a look at the monitor where the director sits and analyses, a look at your own staff for that endearing smile to say that all is well, a look at others on set, a look towards the entrance, when ……

I am not satisfied with the quality of the work that I have done on the first day of the shoot today. Its a song and scene situation and invariably it is when the song is done and over that you figure out the correct step. I have often wished that we start the song sequence backwards, as in some of the other films that I have done. But for some reason it has not happened. Instead of breaking up the song into regions and shooting the sequences as per what they wished for me …it is possible to continue regardless. But its not the real deal. We shall get one soon..

Sleep deprived, nervousness and fear of getting it all wrong compel me to take to bed and allow the soft pillows to take over their job and execute them for their greatest pleasure ..

Moto then of the day is, when you are wrong … accept it and slumber. When right, remain - from all angles distant and silent. It works like magic !!

LOVE AND MORE

Amitabh Bachchan

Fox Studios that co produces Dum Maro Dum sends out these details on the collections

Jalsa , Mumbai        April  25,  2011        Mon  10 : 48 PM

Fox Studios that co produces ‘Dum Maro Dum’ sends out these details on the collections - they speak for themselves

DOMESTICFIRST WEEKEND   DOMESTIC NET Box office – Rs 16.5 crores

· 3rd biggest opening weekend in 2011 after YPD and THANK YOU    ( YPD is Yamla Pagla Deewana )

· Biggest opening in South India  for any Hindi film in 2011

· Third biggest Abhishek film ever after Dhoom2 and Dostana

· Bigger than Kaminey, New York

· Bucked the IPL trend and has reposed good BOX OFFICE numbers in the cricket season.

Break up is as follows :
Thu . 8
Fri – 5.4
Sat – 4.7
Sun – 5.6

INTERNATIONAL· International Box office 1.4 mn US$

· Joint 2nd with Dhobi Ghat  opening in US after YPD

· ME – One of the top openings in 2011  ( ME is Middle East )

· OZ/ NZ – No. 1 of all openings in 2011 ( Not too tough to get that its Australia and NewZealand )

RESEARCHWord of mouth score of 69 which is  jointly tied at no. 3 with No One Killedd Jessica from all films released since September – have attached the ranking list and the EXIT POLL.
Abhishek performance is coming out a winner + Dialogues are connecting
DMD trending on twitter India -  continuously for last 5 days

STRATEGIC  OpportunityDMD recovers its COP of 22 crores in the first weekend from domestic + International  theatrical + music (including overflows) + Sateliite
Good WOM + Longer run due to a strategic release window as has been experienced by Tanu Weds Manu during World cup.
( COP is cost of production, WOM is word of mouth )

Head of Distribution, Marketing and Syndication
FOX STAR STUDIOS INDIA PVT. LTD.

That looks promising and gives heart to all ! Thank you to all those that believed and patronized. Any achievement by your DNA gives so much satisfaction and pride and love. Pray it keeps growing.

Home alone again tonight ! Abhishek in Murmansk, Russia and the ladies are around and about but not home, so thank heavens for IPL … keeping me occupied as I write to all of you. Shanouk sits below, sensitive to any movement around the house, up and barking his large head off !

But first things first - Zhenya from Russia and Renate correct me about St Petersburg .. I have wrongly called it erstwhile Stalingrad. Its actually Leningrad. There is a Stalingrad in Russia but not the one I mention. ‘Grad’ in Russian means town, so Zhenya tells me. Thank you ladies, kind and gracious of you. Never to late to learn, especially when you have a whole host of family members ready to correct you.

Thank you all for the reassurance that you give me on the blog its contents and its readership. It is such a great feeling to know that despite all the negativity that gets generated from other sources, there is the confidence and the assurance of this platform in understanding and supporting the causes that keep coming up day to day.

For long there has been that apprehension that whatever is written will be taken up in pieces. Pieces that could be distorted and represented to create unwanted controversy. What a convoluted idea and thinking. But there is the strength of the EF which has all along given balanced and justifiable approval or disapproval whenever the need has risen. That is most reassuring. It is most frustrating to want to say the matter that comes to mind, but refraining from doing so, for fear of deliberate and mischievous distortion.

The fear of being pushed to some credible response on every issue under the sun, is very potent in the lives of those that live in the brightness of celebrity. We are not, as I have lamented often, knowledged on every aspect of life, politics, sport, society, law, international events, history, geography, medicine etc …We have a tough enough time being actors, and may that remain. But putting us under the wheel, through pressure, deliberation, emotion and every other ‘tion’ in the business is not going to give you or get for the world any wisdom that the subject may indeed require.

Mention or attempt to mention a product of yours or of your kin in praise or support and the entire community breaks down upon you. But among the lot of the media that I follow - Jitesh Pillai, Rajeev Masand, Sagarika Ghose, Rajdeep Sardesai, Bhupendra Chaubey, Barkha Dutt - there is a constant mention of how it will be of importance and of some excitement to watch their programmes on Tv. Fair enough. But no where do I read any severe criticism of the fact that they are using the medium to promote themselves, or the product they are associated with. So what does one do in situations such as this. Succumb to pressure and silence yourself, or deny them the opportunity of slamming you and tell them - ‘Do what you want to do people, I am going to say what I wish to because this is my private medium and no one is going to stop me from doing what I wish to do within the walls of my home’.

Fatima from South Africa, lost her Aunt. She was very close to her almost like a Mother. We are with her in this hour of grief and send all our condolences and prayers ..

Good night all … a good nights sleep does indeed do wonders .. about to find out ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Before putting down my thoughts on this page I give the respondents a look

Before putting down my thoughts on this page I give the respondents a look

Jalsa , Mumbai       April 24,  2011    Sun  11 : 02 PM

Before putting down my thoughts on this page I give the respondents a look. Their numbers at the top of the page give me an idea of what the value of the post was. I notice therefore that for the past few days the numbers have dwindled, which indicates that the BlogPost has been insipid and not worthy of a read ! Hmmm !!

With that in mind and a sense of defeat I resume my daily chore of addressing all those that are part of the EF and who have so diligently remained with me.

The purpose of the blog is not to reach some exciting figure, as in Sachin’s million on the twitter, but to be able to reach out to as many as possible. To share our mutual thoughts and to exchange ideas and impressions which we generally allow to go by. Someone twittered somewhat bitterly that Sachin had got to a million on twitter with just about 270 tweets. And I with over 7000 tweets was still struggling at 700,000.

I am not quite sure about the reason for that remark, but there it was. And if it was meant to show me what it was meant to, then it could not have been more correct. Of course Sachin will and should have a larger number of tweets than I. He is SACHIN Tendulkar, the God of cricket ! And I cannot even fake-hold a cricket bat. End of argument debate and discussion.

Abhishek has reached Murmansk in Russia on location for his film, Players. When I asked him where this place was he told me it was North of St Petersburg, erstwhile Stalingrad. When I persisted he asked me to Google it. I did. And its a stones throw away from the Arctic !! When we Skyped we had a laugh because he was in his  Siberian head gear, protecting his head and ears from the biting cold and he looked odd and funny.

But look what this world has come to. Talking with picture with your relatives and friends. Such a pleasure and joy.

A Sunday today ! A day of rest ! But I had to work on the health program of the UNICEF for which I have been brand ambassador for some years now as also the ambassador for the protection of the girl child. The SouthEast region of the world has not been able to rid itself of this dreaded disease, Polio. But I am happy to state that when I came on board there were over 700 cases of polio, and from recent reports the figure has come down to single digits, which is exciting to know. At least something that I was associated with came through correctly.

Very sophisticated equipments now exist in the medical field and timely medication and care does and can save your child from this ailment. So do your bit spread the word as much as possible. Do take the prevention medication during the first five years of the child to prevent the onslaught of this dreaded ailment….

Satya Sai Baba passed away. A saint, a generous soul, a builder of society. I had opportunity to be with him on an occasion. He had graciously sent me some of his famed ‘vibhuti’ to be put on my tongue during the time I was struggling for my life after the Coolie accident. When I recovered, I went across to his ashram near Chennai. He met me in a side small chamber and blessed me by procuring more ‘vibhuti’ virtually from the air. During his years working for the society through great amounts of work concentrating on building institutions and infrastructures to help the poor and the deprived, he built up a massive following and believers that were completely in awe of the man and his work for the masses.

Our prayers for the departed soul !

During the last few days we have been doing the action climax of our film ‘Bbuddah’ and have been working with the Stunt Coordinator from the South. Interesting how well organized and gracious they are in their work and dealings, despite the fact that they are handicapped by language. I do hope when the film is released and the action work comes through you will be able to appreciate the work done. The point of mentioning this was to also bring forth the fact that all those Master Stunt Directors of the past, still remain in our presence despite that fact that no longer work. Among the stunt ‘fighters’ that work along, there is no one that is above 30 and so is unaware of the films I did. They are all sons and cousins of the fight masters of yesteryear and keep reminding me of their Father or Uncle that had worked with me in most of my films that had action.

They, much like the ‘junior artists’ that I had spoken of in the past, lead a very difficult life too, but are the ones that show great will and strength to rescue the leading man of the film they work in. I have often been obstinate in doing stunts that involve a stunt man, myself, with the sole aim of somehow protecting another soul from getting hurt because of me. I have seen the many that worked with me get seriously injured doing an action sequence. Some are still around but a majority of them have just passed on or are now too old to be able to conduct a portion of action in film.

They have always led a dangerous existence, with the minimum of protection. It is indeed a sad circumstance. Many of those that get injured, have no means to repair themselves, for, keeping away from work would mean a daily meal at home lost. Its a sad situation. Very sad !

More later.. I shudder from the anticipation of tomorrows song and dance routine .. of which I have to admit I am most petrified.

Love to you …

Amitabh Bachchan