As you shoot at the IMax Wadala for ‘Bbuddah’, news breaks of the killing of OBL BigB

As you shoot at the IMax Wadala for ‘Bbuddah’, news breaks of the killing of OBL BigB

Jalsa , Mumbai         May 2 , 2011      Mon 11 : 59 PM

As you shoot at the IMax Wadala for ‘Bbuddah’, news breaks of the killing of OBL. And all the tv channels are full of nothing but that. Expected. He has been wanted by the USA for a very long time, and yesterday they got him. Many questions shall arise. Right from his location to the repercussions, to the way forward, to what next …

There are going to be a great many questions that shall need to be addressed. And all one can say at the moment is that greater days of vigilance and care are necessary.

The IMAX was built to house … well … just that ..a large screen . I do not know whether it is still functional, but it is a very large facility and does have all the required ingredients to make it most prestigious and event friendly location. Why many of my responsible films have had their premier at this locale -Sarkar, Black, Paa , to name a few. The days of the premier are fast evaporating. What a moment of excitement they used to be. Mostly conducted either at Minerva or Metro. Thousands of onlookers, jammed streets, enthusiasm among the fans … now all gone. Now the artist or the star is reachable. There are not too many communication ingredients that existed then. The masses were starved of seeing or being in close proximity to their favorites. Not any more. Everyday fresh and new inventions flood the market place, not with the intention of deliberately making the stars familiar with, but to state that invention is an evident phenomena. It cannot be ignored or side stepped in todays time. Sidestep and be sidelined !!

Marketing is and has become the main tool of films its makers and of course the product itself. Nothing moves today without the consultation of the gurus of  public relations. I loathe the process. I am uncomfortable beating my own drums. But everyone else says it is the norm today in todays times. If you do not talk about yourself, nobody is willing to talk for you. Which in a creative field is somewhat faint -

‘So did you get to see my film. I have done a most incredible number in it’ !!

‘Call me at this number, answer some select questions and win a prize - a car, a fridge, tickets to a recent movie ..’

‘We are here sitting atop the Eiffel Tower, taking in Paris and asking you to go in large numbers to my film in India..’

‘I personally think this has been my best performance till date. Wonder what will happen tomorrow ?’

And on and on and on ….

I am unable to talk about myself, leave alone talk about how many credits I possess. How can one ? Where do they get the courage to put themselves in such a position. This world is unknown to me.

But …. all the young tell me otherwise. If you will not, no one will. General appraisals that bring about a fair degree of self assessment shall of course prevail. But perhaps not the other one.

I may post a picture on my blog or on my twitter and be flooded with comments that only speak of how promotional I am getting. Why can they not understand that I could be genuinely interested in speaking. Good bad indifferent is not the point, just sharing something without intent.

Ah ! But the age of genuine comment has long been lost. Accumen, intelligence and all else, has become a dependent. They are no longer our valuable assets, they are now being termed as severe liabilities. Many a time a piece posted in deep thought and reflection gets buried in unresponsiveness.

There are many in my EF who are exceptional in their content. What they are able to see and judge is exceptional. I never fail to read as many as I can, before turning away for the day. What they say lingers for long. Finds appreciative audience when shared. Changes our perspective, and gives us a view never seen before. That truly then is the main course of this platform …

May this be understood and practiced …!!

Amitabh Bachchan

May the first, labor day, a day for the workers, a day for Maharashtra and Gujarat

May the first, labor day, a day for the workers, a day for Maharashtra and Gujarat

Jalsa , Mumbai         May 1, 2011          Sun 11: 30 Pm

May the first, labor day, a day for the workers, a day for Maharashtra and Gujarat, a day when work is not allowed. And so a holiday in many respects. But the mind and the body shall and does become restless for it. It is now at a stage of our life, when nothingness is the greatest ailment. To be up in the morning and have nothing to do, but idle. Idleness can kill and does on many spheres. So the ‘mantra’ subscribed is that we should be occupied. Occupied in any thing. But occupied.

My Vog, Bachchan Bol now expands its extent. It incorporates many more facilities than it did earlier. There are now some features that shall give an opportunity to those that wish to speak to me to speak to me. It shall give time for me to listen in to your questions and perhaps have opportunity to answer them personally and directly. Soon and I hope its sooner, there shall be facility to video converse, or at least for me to send out to you the messages or ideas or conversations that we have with each other. Hopefully this shall grow stronger from time to time and give us reason to believe that we connected with the others at our will.

There is to be an expansion in other countries as well. Next month it is Great Britain, UK and then hopefully even more countries. In time I would like to believe this blog shall become redundant. It would have gone way passed its scientific early inventions. I do not know how good that would be, but with invention you never know.

There are some Ef members who face the struggle of loved ones being separated, ill and in conditions that do not promise better times. We must think of them in our prayers. Hardship and illness do take away from us the freedom of the way life needs to be lived - with laughter and a smile. And that can only be countered by how we would want to accept it and react to it.

There are rumblings of discontent among all of us on how the blog should be treated. That there should be a code of conduct within, where the will and the wisdom of the conduct should be put to test, judgement passed and a uniformity introduced. I hear those that express this. I will not shun those that wish to express their mind, but shall commensurate with what they wish to lay down.

This space was made form fresh air, free expression and freedom. Any attempt by me or any other to lay down distinct regulation, shall be defeatist in attitude. I am not the conductor of this philharmonic. Its a symphony that plays on its own, and plays it well. If I had the capacity and the will to destroy the conductors stick, that little inconsequential element guiding an entire mass of very professional and efficient musicians, then there would be something wrong with my will. No ! I shall and will not interfere with the basics of this platform - a basics that has brought us all together. Giving it space and time and adjudication through rigid principlies and rules would break the very essence of this platform. It would wrench me dry.

I did not come here to make a family. I came here because it brought me closer to you. Wanting to redesign this utility was and shall never be on the cards, even for a gentle consideration. When you gave me reason to believe that you were no less than family, I invented the suggestion. I would have been equally happy if the Ef had not been formed, for, I was never looking upon it as some kind of a attempt to militarise the situation. Militarise ? Yes .. to bring in certain operatives, rules, discipline. No ! That was never my intention and it shall never be one either.

It was indeed your desire to be accepted as one that has made this platform so strong and successful. And that is how I wish it to remain. When there is great love, there is equal envy and suspicion. I do not think that to be bad. It merely throws up the discussion on to a different topic and plain. You shall envy because somewhere you have given the acceptance that the one you envy is superior. Else why would it be of any interest. Grudges and envy, jealousy and the penchant for one up man ship, destroy your metabolism. Save it ! Why must it be wasted and damaged. Its preservation is what shall stand you in good stead, in good time !

Its been a moment of great pride for me today. Apart from some interesting meetings, the crowds on Sunday and subsequent contemplative efforts, there has been the joy of constructive contribution. Constructive not in the sense it may have been used, but in constructive in a passive sense, by being a part of a moment of creativity, and feeling honorable about it. Could be a strain of music, a passage of well written verse, a visual … or just perhaps a film !

Whatever it has been, shall soon I hope be in demonstration. And then perhaps it would be time for another charged discussion. But till then we wait patiently. Knowing its capacity and strength, but not allowing it to be wasted.

Good Night dearest ones .. may all of you have pleasant dreams … not quite like the ones that the now Duchess of Cambridge had before her wedding ..

Amitabh Bachchan