Amitabh Bachchan BigB

When many thoughts and ideas cross your mind

2012-01-27T00:41:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 26/27, 2012 Thu/Fri 1 : 15 AM

ET … happy birthday ! You are hidden in name, but not in our spirit of extended family .. love

When many thoughts and ideas cross your mind, how does one sift one from the other. All of them carry weight and value, all of them shed inhibitions to project themselves ahead of each other, and all of them believe they shall and will succeed ! I have no doubt at all that they will, but who shall have the priority is what disturbs me. We love to challenge our selves in modes of creativity, challenge ourselves when we seek to prove the other wrong, challenge ourselves to come out a winner against an adversary. Challenge is prime. Without it I wonder if achievement could ever be measured fairly. In fact the truest achievement comes from some form of a hidden challenge. We are either challenging another or ourselves. Challenge to avenge another comes from personal attributes. Creative challenge should come from us, our desire to prove ourselves different or wrong or both.

Challenge could be motivational too. A destination which could have been ignored or forgotten, but one that has now cultivated itself to such a degree that, when accomplished it shall bring satisfaction. Not just to ourselves but in the quality of the work undertaken.

One could strive for qualitative work, be immersed in it and succeed. But who is to judge what is quality. I believe in designing the quality. But that would be of a standard that complies with my assessment. It may not however, be complimentary to what some others may design. Who then shall set the standard. I believe that I have certain values of standard, as does another. But if these standards do not meet, who had the better ? Or rather who was the creator of the greater valued quality.

If your standard is not standard then who’s standard are we following, or not following. That is the million dollar question – or keeping day to day financials in mind, that is the the million Deutsch mark question. The German currency being the most important and of value than of any other in Europe or even the world at this moment. Smart, efficient, hard working German Deutsch mark creators. When the rest of Europe goes to party at 9 pm, the German they say, goes to bed – to rise early and work !! A fantastic resurgence, when all else around them is falling apart !

Anyhow. When the standards are set at a value which in your mind is of high value, they need respect and acceptance and recognition. But what of those that feel that the standard set by them, albeit inferior to ours, is prime. And what of those that consider that this then is the ultimate standard. Majority wins. True standard remains a minority and needs to be shunned or not brought attention to.

So the yardstick of excellence if judged by standard would obviously go to the majority. But they may not necessarily be the standard. And if the yardsticks are in a minority, then their presence or status shall ever be decimated or brought down the ladder, to remain there, undiscovered, ignored and trashed in one conclusive stroke.

In the world of desire for excellence, the bitter truth is that if your standard does not fall in the realm of the lower deciphered majority, you may well decide to pursue another vocation, for in this one, there shall be little hope.

My pursuits in excellence shall never deter me from a desire to achieve that, which I shall believe in my estimates to be of great value. It may never fall within the accepted category of the others, but so long as it falls within my own, I shall be a pleased and happy man.

I am a pleased and happy man in this respect, but perhaps never with respect to being satisfied. That satisfaction shall always be an eternal struggle ..

My love ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Coming in a short while ago from Rajkot on a heavily delayed flight

2012-01-27T00:40:00.002-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 25/26 , 2012 Thu/Fri 2 : 42 AM

Back as you can see in homely environs, coming in a short while ago from Rajkot on a heavily delayed flight. A marriage of a dear friend’s son tomorrow and mandatory to be here to bless the couple and be with the parents whose wedding I had attended too ! Some traditions run somewhat deep in this part of the world. Oprah Winfrey as she sat with us in Jalsa seemed amazed that joint families existed and that the tradition of the elder progeny wanting to stand on his own feet to be able to support the family and look after the aged parents, instead of selfishly running off to lead an independent life after striking 18 !!

But marriages are an important event and there is great emphasis on its attendance. Though some of the more wise have believed that missing a birthday or a wedding could pass muster, but never miss a funeral, it is always remembered !!

So I am home for just some hours, I get back to the grind and to the promotion of tourism in the State of Gujarat in a day. But I must admit even though the schedule has been extremely trying and tiring, I do miss the discovery of fresh and new locations, their history and of course the cheering crowds along the drive ways, ecstatic and so welcoming …

Junagadh is not a place often visited by film artistes and hence the enthusiasm to see them live and in person has a charm of its own, as also the turn out in large numbers on the streets to get a glimpse of their heroes. To many it must be the very first time they ever saw a movie star. The look on their faces and their expressions are a give away. The honesty of their feeling and the surprised looks within them is the most endearing factor for me. The cars and the cavalcade moves at some rapid pace, and it does become difficult to connect themselves with the actor. So I request the driver to slow down and if possible sit in the front seat for them to get abetter view .. it works always, else they keep searching every car and before you know it its gone past and its over, that moment.

I reel over my desk now fatigued by the constant travel, the new bed, the new room and adjusting to it daily, so I shall seek forgiveness and beg leave. But I shall return !! And soon hopefully .. Till then . good night ..

Amitabh Bachchan

My parents wedding anniversary today the 24th of January

2012-01-27T00:40:00.000-08:00

Junagadh , Gujarat Jan 24 , 2012 Tue 8 : 49 PM

Its a day out in the city of Junagadh. The location some minutes away from the residence where I rest. The streets lined with the happy faces of fans and well wishers. It seems like the good old days ! Of the mid 70′s to the 90′s and then some more … but to have them at age 70 seems a little out of place. I wonder at times what they must think and why they push themselves to come out in such large numbers and cheer and scream.

The caves where we shoot are 3rd and 4th century, carved out of a single rock of mountain into rooms and drainages and storage for water compartments, stairs leading to other compartments below and generous sized rooms or areas with closeted walls. I wonder what went on in here in those times. They say they were Buddhist caves where meditation and peaceful existence of the Buddhist teachings were taught. Some reading that I was doing stated that Buddhism existed even before Hinduism, but that would be debatable.

Some repairs have been conducted by the Archeological Survey of India, a Government body that looks after and cares about all heritage sites.

The caves and the pillars and the rooms below, some walls strengthened by modern pillars to support the walls from caving in. But distressing to note that among the letterings and carvings of old, there is evidence of modern defilement, where lovers find themselves expressing their fondness on the walls. Was this the only place in the entire city to express their ‘love’. There is no sense of pride in our heritage and in the preservation of what we must guard and secure from the ravages of time, as our most prized possession … our, our country’s .. India’s .. embarrassing !!

These are markings on some of the walls. They look Arabic and could be the remnants of the Moghul invasion and their rule over the country. These markings were found to be of a later date than the construction of the caves for Buddhist learning and meditation. Perhaps to justify the presence of the new rulers ! Below is someof the genuine and related carvings on the walls -

A closer view of the Arabic letterings ..

And above the back waters before reaching the Rann of Kutch, where the most exquisite birds were found, early morning .. serene and just so beautiful !

My parents wedding anniversary today the 24th of January .. a sudden unplanned meeting of the two at a common friends place on the 1st of January and an instant decision to get married. An inter caste marriage – she a Sikh girl from an affluent Sikh family out of Lyallpur, Lahore and Karachi and my Father a poet of very limited means from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. She with all the grace and etiquette fromBritish nannies in her employ, her Father Khazan Singh Suri a Bar at Law from England in the late 1800′s, his wife and my Grandmother from another prominent family of the Punjab, Sodhi, whose ancestors were on the Prabandhak Committee that served and looked after the Anandpur Sahib Gurudwara. My Grandfather served as a Revenue Minister in erstwhile Patiala State. My Father and his Father a teacher and a clerk in an office. My Mother and her family enjoying the summer months in Muree the it hill resort, now in Pakistan, driven in the latest British cars. My Father living in almost mud laden houses, studying in the night with lanterns, sitting on the floor on wooden desks and walking miles everyday to earn a meagre tuition fee of about Rs 24/- , to be able to feed and run his family home.

My Mother modern and brought up in near Western environs. My Father ortodox Indian and Eastern in his upbringing. And I their first born the bearer of a wonderful mix of the West and the East in mine.

My Mother introducing me to Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan the famous conductor, to films, theatre, modern art galleries, sporting events, outgoing, fun loving, warm hearted and full of joie de vivre. My Father asking me to accompany him to ‘kavi sammelans’ , poetic evenings in remote smaller cities in the middle of the night, reciting his works to lakhs of enthusiastic listeners and to earn that little extra to be able to add to the means within which we lived, to send me to a boarding school and thereafter to University.

And I remember today the winter Delhi evenings and night when a few friends would gather together at our home to celebrate this auspicious day. Special food being cooked by special friends, music impromptu with a ‘dholak’ and spoon and the singing of Punjabi folk songs and those from U.P constructed especially for weddings ! The fire burning bright in the fireplace, and all of us wrapped round in blankets and wollies sitting by it and enjoying the liberty of a late night, but within a day to be up again very early in the morning to go across to India Gate on the 26th to find a vantage seat for the Republic Day Parade. Ah ! The pride and the thrill of watching Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru drive in and then receive the President in ceremony and then the official march past of India’s armed wealth, culminating in the roaring climax of the jets from the Air Force flying past in intricate formation. And then the tricolor balloons sent off into the air amidst chants and screams of a proud nation as the gun salutes went off and the National Anthem was played by the pipes and band of the armed forces …

Today I guess the Delhiites still show the same enthusiasm on the 26th and venture out to witness the grand display, the rest of India switching on the Tv sets to get a glimpse of the event, perhaps. Not many have the desire to get up early. But in our time before the Tv there was All India Radio and the wonderful sonorous and eloquent commentators – Melvyn de Mello and Surajit Sen, who took us through the day making us feel the proceedings almost as though they happened in front of our eyes.

A few days later came the most elegant ceremony of the Beating of the Retreat at Vijay Path, right below the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the exquisite march past and the filing of the various bands, culminating with that famous hymn when the bells from the two towers of the Secretariat, synchronized their sound with the band below and then almost magically the entire frontage of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Secretariat would light up in almost Diwali light fashion, in excellent timing.

To me the precision and the smart elegance of all these events demonstrated a most efficient system that worked to order. A system that was monitored and executed by the Armed Forces. I believe, and do excuse me if I am wrong, but the only institution that brings in the kind of organized discipline, precision and order remains just with the Army. The uniform and the respect that it receives still, is awe inspiring. And I would like to believe that this may be so in almost every other country.

It is a fact that when we see order and formation and its precise execution, it brings in us a sense of pride, of security and of a feel that all is well – ‘these are our boys and girls !!’

Parade attention !! Left and right turn !! Stand at ease !

Love and more …

Amitabh Bachchan

Ye Kahan Aa Gaye Hum-Lata Mangeshkar & Amitabh Bachchan Live In shradhan...

2012-01-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

Breathe in a bit of Gujarat

2012-01-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

Bhuj , Gujarat Jan 22 , 2012 Sun 11 : 15 PM

Come … ! Breathe in a bit of Gujarat !!

Taking some very pretty ladies for a ride …

…. and the personal convoy to work .. police escort ambulance and all .. embarrassing na ?

Early call tomorrow at 5 am … with the birds … the real kind !!!

Love and goodnight ..

Amitabh Bachchan

I do not remember travelling through a State as extensively as the one I work on in such a limited time

2012-01-23T20:38:00.001-08:00

Junagadh , Gujarat Jan 23 , 2012 Mon 11 : 28 PM

I do not remember travelling through a State as extensively as the one I work on in such a limited time. Gujarat has been a revelation to me of culture and dress and food and custom and wondrous stories of the times when there was flourish and pageant and ceremony. It is there still and in perhaps a greater awareness, but just listening to the old stories of the region as you drive and fly past has been most rewarding.

Th early hours of the morning saw us packing all our belongings at Bhuj to drive to a location with the back waters and the birds that have migrated from the Northern Hemisphere, due to the extreme cold to milder weather here in the Rann of Kutch. There were all kinds of them, silently floating about in search of food in the gentle and still waters that line and fill up the otherwise arid terrain, on either side of the carriageway that winds its way along the countryside for miles. There is no vegetation, just the wild 'babool' shrubs with the infamous 'babool kanta' – the babool thorns. The cattle around does not eat it, nor is it of any use for the habitation. But there is talk of gently burning the shrubs to allow it to be scorched sufficiently in order that they can be used for coal burning. We asked and tried hard to find out how the burning of these shrubs could possibly produce coal ? But the villagers around would not relent and went about demonstrating how it was done and how this waste product had now become an earner for the poor villager. So be it.

The birds of various sizes and hues was a magnificent site to see, except we had forgotten to bring our binoculars, and so could not see much, and worse were unable to have a powerful enough lens to film them for camera stills. But some of the crew said they got some rather interesting shots of them before we arrived on the location and they would show it to us, but none did. Also there, it was back to wearing a helmet and on to a Royal Enfield Bullet bike, a bit ancient, but such a loved and popular piece of machinery ! That done we drove another few hours to a handicrafts village where the most exquisite designed clothing with the special embroidery work is accomplished by hand from very talented locals, excelling in their craft through generations and for the sale of it through various foreign buyers. Fascinating absolutely. And the dress and demeanor of their clothing very close to those one sees in adjoining Rajasthan State. That done, it was back to the car and the massive convoy that rides along, for another 2 hrs to the airport at Mundra and quickly out on to the waiting private jet to fly to Rajkot. So after about 5 hrs of driving since the morning and working on different locations it was back to the plane and on to the next city. Several hundred kilometers were flown over in just 20 mins and on arriving at the airport drove straight on for another 3 hrs to Junagadh.

We are all sore and exhausted, but the company has been lively and educative and interesting, so one never felt the time passing by. Also, thanks to the most generous publicity done by some of the very large and kind media presence, all the villages that we drove through had masses of people lining up on the side of the street, cheering us on which was such a rewarding gesture !

The tourism campaign has been a massive boon to the locals and what they were going to earn with great difficulty in an year, they were able to get that within a month, during the festival times and the general increase of the tourist population. Tourism has been a huge earner for any country or city or place of interest. With the economic situation in the West at not its best a great amount of attention is being paid to India, and one way of furthering it has been the efforts being made to bring in greater amount of tourists. American tourism has dropped from almost 16%, to a meagre 7%. Spain is trying to boost its economy through the path of enhanced tourism, and here in Gujarat thanks to this wonderful campaign, the percentage increase as I said earlier is bigger than in any other part of the country, and indeed greater than the National Campaign of 'Incredible India' …

Landing at Rajkot and driving through the streets to our next destination was nostalgic. I had come here ages ago for the shooting of my film 'Main Azaad Hoon' and had faced the ire and wrath of demonstrations against me, because of the false allegations on the Bofors matter. Students and elders and society in general waved black flags wherever I went, painting me out to be a traitor of the country, without any justification. I was asked to go back. But we stuck in with our work and after completing it did we return. Today life had changed. We fought the accusations against us in some of the major courts of the world, won and proved to those that had accused us that they were wrong and we were right. The real persons involved were named by the courts after intense judicial and intelligence procedures and efforts are on still to proceed against them legally. Today the airport is not as unwelcome as before. Today the media generously waits to capture the moment of my arrival. There is jubilation in the eyes of the public and garlands and flowers and gifts in place of the black flags. It took a while, but it proved that justice done was correct and faultless and all prevailing. I do not and never shall look upon it as a vindication, but instead look upon it as a portion of the learning process that life has to offer. Yes the public has a right to express their anger, but they equally are responsible for showing love on realizing that the facts were incorrect. It is wiser to appreciate this than to sit on procedure or ego or any pride that may well be the norm in such situations. I could go round turning the town red by rubbing in my innocence, but other than giving me a sore throat and colored hands, it would do nothing else. For me my happiness is that I am able to share this moment with you who are my Ef. I would hesitate to speak about it elsewhere. It does not appeal to me of being the right ethics. I would much rather gain the experience as a learning than beat a hollow drum about it.

In Rajkot too, Jaya and I have initiated a Blood Bank, which has grown to exceedingly worthwhile proportions and its success and progress reflects in its enhanced existence. The foundation stone for that was laid by me in this very city and today that complex and structure which started off as a small facility has become one of the leading blood banks of the country. I would much rather be proud of that, than of the vindicated victory. What worth will it bring to me to shout out the wrong of the other and my own right. Nothing. Best it would be to take that in as part of my destiny, part of my life's learning and move on to the next challenge. It may not always be fruitful. There could be a moment when things could go extremely wrong too, but at least one must make effort to face it and fight it rather than give in tamely. " I would rather be a plucky loser, if ever I were to lose, than to be one suffering from abject retired hurt, or an easy giving in "

In life nothing is permanent and nothing without struggle. If you are not prepared for it, or think otherwise, you could not be a bigger fool ..

My love always,

Amitabh Bachchan

--
Mahi

I have finally discovered the joys of being pampered by a pedicure

2012-01-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 20/21, 2012 Fri/Sat 1 : 32 AM

I have finally discovered the joys of being pampered by a pedicure and a manicure. I have finally discovered why the ladies spend half their lives in the parlor. I have finally discovered what an idiot I was in not succumbing to the luxury of pretty ladies looking after your feet and hands while you comfortably watch the Australian Open Tournament. And I have finally discovered what a fine art it is to get your nails in shape. All my misgivings far far away from reality. And so shall they remain.

Off again to Gujarat tomorrow and into the second phase of the tourism campaign, which I must admit has turned out to be a magnificent success. The growth rate in tourism in Gujarat has been bigger and larger than the Government of India campaign Incredible India and that has made all those of us that were involved in the working of it, very proud. All those that criticized, all those that raised objectionable content against me, all laid to rest. It is satisfying to see how the work you put in succeeds, but even more so when it succeeds despite heavy apprehensive motivations. It is not in order to talk about achievements. Achievements have a habit of talking themselves, so one shall not rub in the moment. But one cannot but lament the expense of such negativity, the energy wasted and the destruction of all the positive forces within. Its futility is a heavy price to pay. Better then to wait for results before pulling out the sword from the scabbard.

Nikhat Kazmi a generous film critic from the Times of India stable, has passed away after a long struggle with cancer. A buoyant demeanor and a genuine lover of film, she was never too harsh in her assessments and comment. She was also rather liberal with the stars that she assigned to the ratings of the films released and in general was a much loved person in the community. Our prayers and condolences.

Many readers and followers of stars and their fans, many non interested watchers, general public, have wondered why celebrities when photographed in their cars entering or leaving a venue or event, have such peculiar looks on their faces. Well the reason is the above ! The media blocks your vehicle, does not allow it to move, flashes the daylights out of you with their multiple cameras, and if you dare touch them while driving out, which you can well imagine would require some dextrous skills, they would create mayhem and their channels would only run that portion where the ‘journalist was manhandled’.

And Filmfare wishes to acknowledge two personalities that have contributed greatly to our Industry and they talk to me about them because I shall not be able to be at the function. It is a Lifetime Achievement Award for the music duo and the masters in their craft Laxmikant Pyarelal — Laxmi ji we have sadly lost. The other is for my very first leading lady Aruna Irani, a fine and most accomplished artist in any field of performance, one that began her career in the most humble beginnings and worked her way up to glory and fame. So proud of them all and the fact that they be honored thus.

Good night dearest ones .. will attempt to connect from the regions of Gujarat in the next days and fervently hoping that I am able to get internet connections in the remote areas that we plan to visit. I shall be such a lost soul if I did not …

Love

Amitabh Bachchan

Fashion of 1970s is back Amitabh Bachchan

2012-01-20T08:18:00.000-08:00

Fashion of 1970s is back: Amitabh Bachchan

At 69, megastar Amitabh Bachchan makes quite a style icon with his designer jackets, suits, sherwanis, kurtas and sometimes, also his casual look! But he senses that the fashion world of 1970s is making a big comeback nowadays.

"They say fashion repeats itself after some years, so if you have saved some of the clothes of the 1970s, it is very likely that in a couple of years, spending for new latest designs would not be necessary," Amitabh posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

A style icon of his times, the tall and handsome actor, who used to wear bell bottoms, says he let go of some of his belongings of the era, sometime back.

"I threw away an entire bunch of my old sunglasses and the kids could have killed me for it! They are all back in fashion again," he added.

One with a liking for sunglasses and spectacles, Big B says he misses the shades he wore in the 1978 movie " Don".

"I met some friends of this generation at a social evening and they asked me where I had got those tinted glares I wore in 'Don'. I told them they were my personal. They yippied and yupped about it, until I told them I had thrown them away," wrote the actor, who still has a penchant for eyewear.

As I scan through the comments of the Blog today

2012-01-20T07:18:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 19 , 2012 Thu 11 : 11 PM

Today … Epiphany .. the great orthodox Christian celebration day .. blessings sought and may they prevail over us all, in every which way ..

As I scan through the comments of the Blog today, I am overwhelmed by the sincerity of thought, the delicacy of expression and the warmth of affection that has been poured onto the millions of words flowing out towards the legacy of my Father, his life, his contribution and in particular his worth not just for me, but all that he left behind. My words of gratitude shall befall a terrible vacuum if I were to attempt to express them, but I must acknowledge the graciousness with which each one of you have provided solace to me in the various ways that you have. What a wonderful word devised by the English tongue – thank you ! Simple and meaningful without any alternative. This and the other – sorry !!

I realize that if I were to even attempt putting together something of relevance as far as a dedication to my Father was concerned, I would fail miserably. But all of you have surpassed that which even I could not imagine or think of. There is such a deep sense of togetherness within us. A sense of being one, to stand by, to assist, to encourage, pray, deliver, that which sometimes near and dear ones fail to accomplish. No one asked you for it and neither did any one ever compel it upon you. You did it on your own feel, instinct and desire. No obligations, no return benefits sought, just a genuine human feel of doing what needs to be done – at times even more than that …

Where does all this come from ? When I with pride describe to those that are not acquainted with our world, they express cynically the fruitless endeavor that I indulge in. They make a mistake. It is not an endeavor at all. It is one that builds on its own strength and exists and flourishes. No one taught the other. No one gave any incentive. Nothing was forced or conditional. It just built itself independently.

Such independence can never be built if there was not a sense of deliberation. Of want, of commitment. The beauty of its execution puzzles the world that lives in tattered circumstances. Tattered not in terms of poverty or in a description that envelops lesser means, but in a sense of their own scattered thoughts – irreverent and so full of their own misfortune of not being able, or should I say capable, of creating this wonderful universe !

I love such that describe us in baser means. I love their abuse and dislike. For in doing so, they so clearly demonstrate that they are incapable and inefficient in accomplishing what we have accomplished. It is a genuine example of what they lack and what we possess, when they throw unadulterated bumff at us. It delights me that they do. I wish they would do it more often – it measures our success when they do !!!

I am approached by a music company of repute. They wish for me to record for them my Father’s works all over again. They have the rights to one that we did, my Father and me, many years ago – Bachchan recites Bachchan ! Now they wish me to sing some of his verse in my voice ! They present me with some gifts. And I am amazed what it is. It is the old style record vinyl LP player, along with some LP’s of my films. They tell me that this is what is being made popular by the generation next. The world has come round they say in full circle and I am most intrigued. When digital prevails at such rapid lengths to convert everything and all of it on to your mobile phone, I wonder how this old world charm has resurfaced and gaining popularity. So what … ? do we dig back our store house and extricate those discarded LP’s of yore. They say fashion repeats itself after some years, so if you have saved some of the clothes of the 70′s it is very likely that in a couple of years, spending for new latest designs would not be necessary ! I threw away an entire bunch of my old sunglasses and the kids could have killed me for it ! They are all back in fashion again. I met some friends of this generation at a social evening and they asked me where I had got those tinted glares I wore in DON. I told them they were my personal. They yippied and yupped about it, until I told them I had thrown them away. I was standing by a swimming pool when I said this and I could sense that had I not discreetly moved away from the scene of action, they would have taken the liberty of dumping me, fashion clothes and all, into the water. Boy, am I going to hang on to every piece of material that I possess, unless it is required by the old age home or the leprosy center that we support !

The night closes in. Traffic outside smoothens. The enterprising shall pull out their magnum bikes powered to the limit and roar down the streets. The sports models, low and aggressive looking, almost always inspired from the speeded animal species, shall most elegantly slither onto the main concourses and the almost with an expression of sudden freedom explode into the distance, leaving a few wide mouthed by standers, grabbing on to their clothing lest they loose them !

I shall now saunter down to my bed, warm my feet with the traditional and old world ‘hot water bottle’, perhaps catch a losing cricket game against the Ozzies and turn off the lights. My dreams these days are most vivid and of great intense visual value. But never strong enough to allow me their remembrance when I awake ! Strange, but sad too in a way.

The mobiles shall be put on charge next to me, an alarm for the morning gym shall be flashed and then after a thorough search as to which pillow shall be the coveted companion for the night … shut the eyes and hopefully the world !!

Time now ..

Amitabh Bachchan

It is about this time that my father breathed his last

2012-01-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 18, 2012 Wed 11 : 45 PM

It is about this time that my father breathed his last. He was not comfortable being in hospital and had loathed the fact, so I brought him home and built and equipped an ICU in his room, with all possible emergency equipment there to face any extraneous circumstance. He had always remained a good patient, cooperating with whatever the doctors wanted him to do, but during the last few days, as though almost as a premonition he had become very silent and quiet. Never spoke a word, never responded to any one.

When he would lie in bed during the times when he was immobile, he would often refer to the number of hours he was sleeping. They were large in number and his theory to that was that his ‘sleep had been in arrears’ throughout his life. Now he was making up to it. Every morning when we would wheel him out of his room to the hall to a particular position he would read the Ramayan and the Gita and then read and re read his auto biography several times. I think most writers like to re visit their work often. My Father was no different, but somehow I felt he read for a different reason. When we know that time has passed by and that life could end suddenly almost unannounced, we often hear comments form people that their entire life whizzed past them in fornt of their eyes. Could it be that my Father saw the end and was wanting to live with his entire past, almost as a reminder of what had transpired in the 96 years of his life ?

Human kind has this habit of visiting what had gone by to relive those moments and perhaps to understand its glory or its value or its joy and happiness or eventually its sadness. Time gets related with what has been. A situation, an issue, a location, people and friends and so much more … Documentation is such a valuable tool to possess. We as a nation are beginning to realize it but as individuals there is keen desire to keep those events as close to the self as possible. Posterity or any reference to it has always evoked a certain sentiment, mostly of happy nostalgia, but in some the horrid displeasure of a past that they would need to forget soon.

I would happily live my life again without change, but I do know of some that would never concede to this. Their present has a marked difference to their past. In some it is quite the opposite. Some have grown and worked themselves away from a past that has been haunting for them, others have lamented those ‘good ol’ days’ when life was prettier and fruitful and carefree and happy. In this world the human has had to contend with both, and I am happy with that. I do not have any argument that would necessarily go, either for it or against. One needs to be in temperate zone to be able to achieve this state of mind. The trouble is in finding that temperate clime. Not all are built to be patient and tolerant, for, acquiring both these qualities are really a gift from above. I doubt very much if it could be taught or learnt. It has always been a viewpoint that needs must come from within. Intolerance can only be tolerated by those that may face or have faced it ad nauseum and are now immune. There shall always be that fine line beyond which we shall not be able to traverse, and I wonder at times whether those that indulge in it are ever aware what and where they do. Perhaps they are so hapless in their pursuit of rectifying tolerance that they keep becoming even more intolerant. Which is really quite an amusing situation.

My tolerance levels at this point of time have reached its lowest. Not with respect to the blog but with the pressures of time that have been stipulated by the medical teams …

So I shall bid adieu and give you my gratitude for all the kindness shown after the results of my tests .. thank you and may you be forever blessed ..

Love

Amitabh Bachchan

Most painful part shaving portions of your chest to be able to stick all those leads

2012-01-18T09:23:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 17/18 , 2012 Tue/Wed 1 : 51 AM

Ok … so the tests went well, and all is fine in this part of the world, or so the doctors and assistants had to say. These were routine checks that people of my age need to keep going through – stress, 2 D Echo etc .. Most painful part – shaving portions of your chest to be able to stick all those leads that get you wired up with the heart computer. Health matters do not always need discussion or a reveal, so shall abstain from either mentioning them, or if erroneously I do then not to elaborate on them. The Western world has very strict and most welcome ethical rules with regard to this. At times if the patient wishes they can keep the information of their ailment away from their own relatives !! Now with extended family that could have meant similar. But you all know how gregarious I feel on such matters and hence the disclosure. But only for the Ef ! Media .. I do hope you are listening in and not making notes for the next breaking news !!

Music that great leveler, that incorrigible flirt, that works in such gentle and lovable manner into our hearts that it does become impossible to be devoid of such feeling when faced with it – the feeling of divine love. Why is it that when you strike a discordant note it is identified immediately. Not in our daily life moves, but at the alter of music and rhapsody and philharmonic and rhythm and composition. I do believe there is an invisible connect with strings invisible to us, within our systems. For, the moment a flourish is played or heard, there is a nod of approval, or an instant recognition, shared almost always with those around you, for they have felt the same.

There is also this unusual temperament that invades you when in particular company of music. You could be with a group of people, all excelling in the craft, able and competent, but for some reason that feel for melody appreciative and earnest just does not occur. A few leave the company and all of a sudden the spirits are up, the creative juices start to flow, a sense of wild liberty encompasses you and there you are, unaware of any other, minus the self-consciousness, able and confident of whatever is being asked of you to do, with a will and a command at your disposal.

Some places may have all the right ingredients for music to be immortalized, but nothing happens. It is there, it is professional, it will be done, but that personal satisfaction of having been attached to it personally is missing.

And I really do not have any logical explanation for this.

But yes tonight at Aadesh Shrivastava's studio it was almost magical the way he just kept pouring out the notes and the compositions and magical in the manner in which we developed and worked further on it. A lot still needing to be done, but getting there, almost ! And how beautifully the mind begins to wander into the visuals that one immediately starts to imagine and build in the mind. Almost like the director of a film visualizing his or her imagery for a given situation, which may not be one that you need for your own effort, but the process of imagining never ceases with any creative person. A good piece of writing and they shall start imagining how well it could be brought to prominence. A painting and the many layers of meaning that starts to be read within. That refrain of delectable music and the film visuals start to build … such a great process of the mind thank God !!

And as I write I have on my ears the earphones blaring those moments that we built just some time ago. I must admit they do not sound as good as they were sounding in the studio, but there ..

And now from Coke Studio, Shafkat Amanat Ali and 'aankhon ke saagar' .. the sonorous chords of his voice and the tone of the ghazal and the meaning of the words … such a beautiful blend .. want to not just remove the headphones .. even though it strikes almost 4 in the morning .. ah ! but in the presence of that beautiful music, time can wait and if not can flow by and allow me to savor the wires it touch within .. they do not happen often, but when they do they vibrate … almost endlessly …

Could it not be to live with them eternally ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Oprah Winfrey in India, parties with the Bachchans

2012-01-17T04:09:00.000-08:00

Oprah Winfrey was welcomed by all the Bollywood stars at the Color Screen Awards 2012. Before the Screen Awards, Oprah Winfrey attended a party hosted by Parmeshwar Godrej followed by a party at Amitabh Bachchan's home. Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential women in the world looked pretty dressed in an Indian attire. Oprah Winfrey arrives at the Screen Awards accompanied by the Bachchan family. A R Rahman also performed specially for Oprah along with Shiamak Davar.

Oprah Winfrey welcomed by Aishwarya Rai, Amitabh Bachcha

2012-01-17T03:28:00.000-08:00

Oprah Winfrey welcomed by Aishwarya Rai, Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan

The queen of American TV, Oprah Winfrey partied with B-town’s best and also met Aishwarya Rai’s daughter Beti B

Oprah Winfrey has arrived in India! And socialite Parmeshwar Godrej hosted a private party to welcome this famous talk-show host. But before arriving at the party, Oprah decided to pay Aishwarya Rai’s baby daughter a visit. She stopped at Jalsa and spent some quality time with the little one. “The gracious Oprah Winfrey visits our home, to meet us and bless the baby..warm hearted, endearing .. drive her to party in her honor,” Amitabh Bachchan tweeted. After seeing the baby, Oprah headed for the party venue along with the Bachchans, where she was welcomed by B-town’s who’s who.

Apart from Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, superstar Shahrukh Khan also spent time with Oprah. Godrej’s uptown Juhu residence was guarded by two police vans and 10 security personnel. The guest list included novelist Shobhaa De, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Shilpa Shetty with hubby Raj Kundra, Abhay Deol with actor-girlfriend Preeti Desai, Lara Dutta, Dino Morea, Sameera Reddy, Kalki Koechlin, Kangna Ranaut, Anil Kapoor, Imran Khan, jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali, Anupam Kher and Sikandar Kher. Oprah is in India to shoot for her new talk show Next Chapter that revolves around her interviews with famous celebrities from around the world. Who do you think will make it to Oprah’s interview list this time?

Photos: Zee News and Yogen Shah
bollywoodlife

Hrithik eager to show Agneepath to Big B

2012-01-17T03:25:00.000-08:00

Hrithik eager to show Agneepath to Big B

If Hrithik Roshan is eagerly awaiting the release of Agneepath, he is equally keen to show the film to the original Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, Amitabh Bachchan. "I think once the film is ready for previews, he will be the first person we will call," said Hrithik who reprises Amitabh's role in the Agneepath remake. The original, directed by Mukul Anand, came in 1990 and Big B had won a national award for his performance in the movie.
While the original Agneepath was produced by Yash Johar, the remake is being financed by the late filmmaker's son, Karan Johar.

At the same time, he is also excited about Sanjay Dutt's villainous role in the action thriller and claims that Kancha Cheena will be the next big villain in Bollywood. "If you are an actor, you want to do all kind of roles. Kancha is one of the best roles and also one of the best performed roles. There was one Gabbar Singh, there was one Mogambo and now one Kancha Cheena," the 38-year-old said at a promotional event held at a McDonalds outlet for Agneepath.

Hrithik also said that this remake of the original 1990 film may not be as stylish as the original, but is definitely entertaining. "Agneepath is a very simple and a hard-hitting film.I have seen the film, so I can say that it is quite entertaining," he said.

Besides promoting Karan Malhotra-directed Agneepath, which releases Jan 26, Hrithik is also working hard on his fitness for his father's Krrish 3.
News HT

There is now a complacency of thought and deed within

2012-01-17T02:58:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 16, 2012 Mon 6 : 52 PM

Wishing Rasha Zayed a very happy and prosperous birthday. Peace and well being be around you always .. Love

There is now a complacency of thought and deed within. A resignation that seeks freedom. Freedom to say do and act in whichever way, for the transcendence of peace and tranquility. These are philosophic qualities and may seem to be too pseudo in compartment. A pseudo intellectualism, often the harbinger of envy, dislike, skepticism and immense ridicule from those that have been troubled by its presence.

But to put it in simpler terms, the ecstasy of deriving at the right chord, either through voice or instrument, must needs be the ultimate deliverance. A deliverance that has often been referred to being of saintliness and divine, but deliverance all the same. There is the need to spend time with our own self, to allow it to fester inside us and trouble us with its disease, hopefully incurable. Being within is no crime. It may seem so socially, but in the end it does possess you and leaves you immensely lifted and fulfilled. I feel and felt that this morning as I ran through my work on the desk with the notes and chords and instruments all adding their flavor to my presence. It is not as though it just came on, it was desired and willfully so. I do believe being in the company of the studio last night with musicians and sound, did have a profound effect on me and I wonder if it is not too late to pursue what comes within me so strongly – music learning or language or betterment of the soul through both these.

One shall allow the soul to prevail and guide me in whichever direction it wishes me to.

I must turn in now. There are some medical procedures to be followed tomorrow and they need a rested body. Nothing alarming but in preparation for something in case it turns out alarming.

Good night till then .. and shall bring you the results of all this by the morrow ..

Amitabh Bachchan

A Sunday a leaving of the children a sadness and a longing for them to be back again soon

2012-01-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 15/16, 2012 Sun/Mon 1 : 20 AM

A Sunday .. a leaving of the children … a sadness … and a longing for them to be back again soon ! A Sunday .. a visit by the well wishers .. a visit too by Vinod Chopra and Joel Edgerton, colleague in The Great Gatsby with friend Chris .. A Sunday … and finally finding time to get to Aadesh Shrivastava’s studio to record the song of Peace in honor of all those who suffer from terrorist attacks, particularly those that sacrificed their lives during the 26/11 attack on Mumbai .. the Mumbai Police force … !!

In all this the most satisfying of course the early morning visit to the ‘little one’ and to see her in deep slumber and then the hours spent with Aadesh in his studio and music … to sing to record to hear other compositions to jam to make other tunes for forthcoming films … I miss this vocation and I must learn the craft before it is too late .. late for me to move my fingers over the ‘black and white’, to spend time in solitude to connect with the purity of the classical to just be in the realm of the purity of notes and not be disturbed or bothered by other worldly charms .. that would be a classic in itself !!

But the big question is a but … a but that shall define when it is all going to happen. Making up ones mind is an exercise that does not come easily to Librans and we suffer .. suffer to the extent of self damage !! But do I must as I would the pending reading and the pending learning of languages and so much more that one wishes to do .. Oh ! dear !!

I leave you with this for the moment … I have got delayed and it goes beyond the hour of the doctors prescription … so …

One says good night and god bless …

Amitabh Bachchan

Try to compose a few words listening to music impossible

2012-01-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 14, 2012 Sat 11 : 46 PM

Try to compose a few words listening to music .. impossible ! Listen to the music or write, those are the options. So off with the music ! Ah !! Thats much better. Mind works better, thoughts keep pouring out, literature flows, philosophy at its best … rubbish ! Not a word that makes any sense gets punched. But .. lovely to be talking about it, don’t you think ? Yes ! I think its right .. funny that I should ask the question and give the reply too .. but really, that is what we do in our daily lives do we not ? Of course we do – we speak to ourselves often enough and give the answers too. Mostly that which we want to hear and not the ones suggested by others. A fair assessment and one that requires no great detail in understanding … so let it be let it be .. a la Beatles … now why on earth did they come into this. Ok .. now that they have, we shall indulge !!

This generation may not value them as much as we did, but they were and still are the ultimate !! And what a craze and following and madness about them – the hair, the music, the songs, their lives, their LP’s – LP’s were the modern day CD’s of Mp3′s or whatever other format exists on music listening today, everything about them was nothing short of being godly !!

In those early days of Kolkata, when they were emerging the giants that they were, the rush to get the LP’s of their latest, a rarity because they were not as freely available as music is now. You waited for that odd chance of a friend travelling to London, a rarity by itself, and then after a long and tedious gap to acquire the sound that has been heard perhaps on radio, or at a frequently travelled friends place.

The changes in the dance form on the floor or at that club, where the traditional ball room or at the very most the cha cha were predominant, an invasion of a movement where there was no body contact, no control on how the body ‘shook’, so long as it shook, or was it the ‘shake’ that was popular, you were considered with it. When a few of those England returns performed it first time, we all laughed and ridiculed this 440 volt affected human. But soon it lent weight and company and momentum, so that even after some 50 years, there is still no body contact, no idea where your partner is, or whether you did have one. Independence ! That would describe this art form somewhat acutely. Independent in its execution. Independent in its movement. Independent from all the written books and the learning of steps for the fox trot, the waltz, tango and Charlton … nothing required now … simply feel it and give in to the involuntary movement of the limbs. In todays club world dancing you could well be in the confines of a gymnasium and it would not matter ..

But the romance and the effect of the touch and feel of ball room dancing has vanished. There was a certain decorum in it. The getting up and asking the lady for the dance, the position of statured elegance as you stretched your hands to gently allow the lady to rest hers on yours. The firm yet gentle guidance that one conducted by the other hand on her waist, moving and controlling her composure as it were. Those piercing looks as you held her and talked of the weather and everything else under the sun, as you avoided stamping her elegant dress by your out of rhythm feet, her hand gently resting on your shoulder – a picture of support to the woman in your arms. A gesture of care and protection !! All gone now !! Your protection these days is from the waving and pumping of the hands and feet of your neighbor on the floor. Not your partner whom you had initially asked, but your neighbor !!It is rather ridiculous but such fun .. do you not think ?? Thank you for confirming my ideology !!

And as I press ‘return’ to change lanes, I find myself drifting away towards the bed, waltz like and into slumber !

Good night dear ones .. dancing tonight in your dreams … !!

Amitabh Bachchan

ps: Barun and family of the Ef meeting up .. a joy to be acquainted with his daughter Megna and son Rion !!

Friday the 13th of the month and a belief that it is a day one should be aware of disaster and evil going

2012-01-16T08:11:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 13, 2012 Fri 11 : 11 PM

Friday the 13th of the month and a belief that it is a day one should be aware of disaster and evil goings on .. but may I just say that, today has been one of the more relaxed, anxiety less, harmonious days of the year ! Which isn’t saying much, considering that the month has just begun, but there … Sometimes premonition and its sister superstition, can play merry havoc in our lives and there are many that religiously follow such acts, but it has been seen and observed that quite the opposite happens, provided the faith is good.

Faith in such matters is often a wild conjecture. It may not deliberately be done, but when allowed to prevail shall produce some interesting results. Getting out of bed in the morning and the side, which step you put first as you enter a place of importance – a home or temple or the work place. The dress to be worn and what the colors may be after all the formalities in the bath are over, where I am certain many do occur – which brush, what toothpaste, soap, the brush you use for the hair …. and then the route you take to work and what one encounters on the streets as you drive by. The face first seen at the work place … the list of incongruities just refuses to stop. And it is often noticed that those that possess the greatest knowledge of the stars and the horoscopes and the birth timings and the janam patris, are the ones that get affected most by it. It is a science here in India and one that is seriously followed and taught at University levels, the reading and the meanings of horoscopes and the delicacy of astrology. But in most other regions it is more the science of numerology and the planchet of sprit calling that prevails. Or does it really ??

The desire of the human to know ahead of time what time holds for them has always been a great attraction. When will the hours get more conducive for my career, when will the Gods smile over my success, how long will this period of the evil last and so on …

The uncertainties of life, its immense irregularity and intrigue, is far too complicated for the common human. And because of its great relevance in everyday operation one is desperate to know ahead what follows or what it is that needs repair for plain sailing. After which … and this is a big after .. religion creeps in ! If it is unknown then it is certainly a gift from the heavens. Religion brings answers in prayer and devotion. Sometimes the prayer works, well we may think so for the moment. But that is the level of understanding when issues and problems reach a solution. It was Gods will ! He thinks well and good for humanity ! He will not be wrong !

And soon there are millions of followers. Faith moves them. Faith moves many other things too, but for the moment, this faith has greater importance. Prayer, places of worship, practices and rigid routines take prominence. Disobey them and face the wrath of the Almighty ! And soon there are strong divides and alienation that occurs. Wars get fought at the cost of believers and non believers. Customs and practices edge each other away. They are there, we are here territories get drawn. Humanity in its penchant for a credible answer, gets divided into sections and sub sections. And yet … no answer is forthcoming !!

Then the non believers move in, destroy the age old and ancient systems and lure us into the practical and scientific propensities of the faith that grew with us. And a large section of people move along with them. Some of whom patronize this very page that they read ! Nothing wrong with it. We all have a mind and the liberty to think and asses differently, not necessarily with a herd mentality of following all that comes their way with some elements of belief !

I believe. But does it mean that all must believe too ? No not at all. Its just that we never wanted to travel too deep into the process that could make us nonbelievers.

The strength of millions of those that believe in one direction is so vast and so large that it would require immense strength to face up against it. And many do not battle with it, because they realize that it could be a lost cause. That is their wanting. You must want to believe. When you want something as badly as belief, you will get it. And when it does, it seals all else for life !! That, in this very inverse existence of mankind, could become the only truth for them.

Yes I pray and believe in worship of the deities. So what ? Does it reduce me in any manner ? And does it divulge my sense of superstition ? Who cares, even if it does. Seldom those that pray never divulge what they pray for. They should not, its personal. I do not propagate my belief on to the other. I do not exhibition it on the streets and invite others to follow. I live with my realm within and do not see any reason for it to be known to the others. But, visiting places of prayer and belief does not make me any less in my belief. I visit for the tranquility of my soul. Why must it be conjectured by those that spread word and comment, that there is more to it than just that. Do not thrust your assumption of belief on me. I am standardized enough and intelligent enough to gauge it myself, without your kind assistance. Thank you !!

My own superstition may work for me. I cannot predict whether it will work for others. I do not need to !!

Good night and …

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan to reveal Beti B’s name on January 15?

2012-01-13T04:40:00.000-08:00

Amitabh Bachchan to reveal Beti B’s name on January 15?

Mumbai: Grand-daughter of an actor whose life has been a source of inspiration to many, Amitabh Bachchan, has revealed that family will soon be out with her name. Though he didn’t made any direct retort to the information but we render close.

In a social networking website, twitter, Amitabh Bachchan posted a statement giving a hint that he is soon to disclose the news soon, it says, “T 618 - They say the dates are not auspicious till after the 14th of January .. Inauspiciously Yours, AB”

The grandfather’s stomach is idling out to reveal the news somehow but he is restricted by the rules and rituals of religious convictions. They want the news to be unveiled on a special day, only to support the fortune of the little angel.

It is a bit mystifying to say that Abhishek and Aishwarya have each other’s consent over baby’s name but whatever they decide is eventually a decision for her better future and nurturing.

news pardaphash

Pune is special because I met Jaya Bachchan here Amitabh

2012-01-13T04:38:00.000-08:00

Pune is special because I met Jaya Bachchan here: Amitabh

Pune is known as city of art, culture and literature, and many of my films have been shot here. But it holds a special place in my heart because I met my Jaya here and I decided to get married to her,’’ said eminent actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Bachchan and veteran playback singer Asha Bhosale were felicitated with the coveted ‘Outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema’ award at the inauguration of 10th Pune International Film Festival (PIFF).

The festival was kick-started with fervour on Thursday at City Pride, Kothrud. It was inaugurated by Sanjay Deotale, state minister for environment and cultural affairs. Noted actor Rani Mukherjee was the guest of honour.

There was a stampede when Bachchan arrived at the venue. Bachchan, who had donned a Puneri pagdi, received the award from veteran actor Shreeram Lagoo.

He recalled, “Forty-two years in the film industry are like a dream. I never thought that I would become an actor. Destiny has brought me here and I feel indebted to the people of India.’’

Bhosale sang a Tamil song and enthralled the audience with a Marathi song on popular demand. “I have sung more than 900 Marathi songs in Pune. I am very proud that I am Marathi and I have stayed in Pune,” she said.

Eminent music director Ilayaraja was honoured with Sachin Dev Burman international award for creative music and sound. An emotional Ilayaraja said, “Great singers like Mozart, Beethoven and Sachin Dev Burman didn’t create music for any award. No kalakar (artiste) works for awards and I don’t create music for awards. But by accepting this award, I am paying my tribute to Sachin Dev Burman.”

Talking about Asha, Ilayaraja said, “She is a fantastic singer. When she is on stage, ideas start flowing and she will catch up and perform just like that.’’

Noted actor Sachin Pilgaonkar was also felicitated for completing 50 years in cinema. He said, “I feel great to be part of the Indian film industry. I don’t like calling it Bollywood.’’

Rani Mukherjee, who was dressed in Maharashtrian sari, nath and gajra, won the hearts of the audience by speaking in Marathi.

“The shooting of my Marathi film Aiyaa took place here. I have enacted the role of a Puneri mulgi (girl) in the film. Though I was born and bought up in Mumbai, I am very much a Marathi,’’ she said.

Aishwarya Rai's daughter is Amitabh Bachchan's first priority

2012-01-13T04:35:00.000-08:00

Aishwarya Rai's daughter is Amitabh Bachchan's first priority

Since the day Aishwarya Rai gave birth to her baby girl, grandpa Big B seems to have forgotten the world. In fact Mr Big B is so overwhelmed with Beti B's innocent looks and charm, that his every post on the Twitter includes the little Ash's name.

Following the same, Amitabh Bachchan who was supposed to visit Nashik to inaugurate an old age home, had to postpone the trip for his granddaughter's naming ceremony sometime post January 14, TOI reports. The old age home, Nanasaheb Deshmukh Vridhashram run by Neptune Foundation, is a free facility for elderly citizens.

Amitabh was supposed to visit Nashik at top cop and 'long time associate and very dedicated friend' Harish Baijal's invitation. Baijal told TOI that Bachchan Sr informed him "on Tuesday evening" that the inauguration would have to wait as his daughter Shweta Nanda had come over with her children. Also, "Abhishek and Aishwarya's daughter's naming ceremony would take place soon."
news oneindia

Amitabh Bachchan promotes Kahaani

2012-01-13T04:33:00.000-08:00

Amitabh Bachchan promotes Kahaani

After a successful 2011, Vidya Balan is set to start the New Year with another woman-centric film " Kahaani" and has found support from none other than Amitabh Bachchan who is promoting her film on social networking sites.

The megastar has sung Rabindranath Tagore's iconic song "Ekla cholo re" for the film and is talking about it on his blog and Twitter page.

"My friend Sujoy Ghosh of 'Aladin' fame... puts out his trailer for his next with Vidya... 'Kahaani'... interesting watch," he tweeted.

On his blog, Big B wrote: "May I just say that singing Rabindra Sangeet for the first time was the greatest revelation. The beauty of the language, the lyricism of the tune and its 'dhun' (music) are outstanding.

"This particular, world famous number 'Ekla Cholo', expounding to all that if no one came to you on your calling, walk alone!! And what a fabulous song has been incorporated by Vishal-Shekhar. Truly awesome and worthy of all award."

Vidya is currently promoting "Kahaani" and when asked about it, she said: "That is very, very kind and generous of him. He has sung a song for us, I thought that was under wraps, so I didn't say but obviously you all seem to know."

"It is a very special song for Kolkata and all the Bengalis. It has been sung by Mr. Bachchan, so it becomes all the more special," added the 33-year-old actress while launching Radio Big FM's new jingle.

She is known for her power-packed performances in "Ishqiya", "No One Killed Jessica" and "The Dirty Picture", but Vidya has no plans to exercise her vocal chords.

"So far no, because I don't know. I am not even a bathroom singer. So I am happy listening," said the actress who plays a pregnant woman in "Kahaani".

Director Sujoy Ghosh's "Kahaani" is scheduled for a March 9 release and also stars Emraan Hashmi and Bengali actor Parambrata Chatterjee.
the thimes of india

Out of the private jet and on to the Pune International Film Festival

2012-01-13T04:11:00.000-08:00

Out of the private jet and on to the Pune International Film Festival ..

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 12, 2012 Thu 10 : 49 PM

And the crowd control inside the auditorium .. this is one way of being effective , I guess !!!

And the gracious and greatly talented SriRam Lagoo from many films, for me particularly Laawaris, decorates me with the Award for my contribution to cinema, with the traditional head dress of Maharashtra and the shawl … a moment in time !!

he lighting of the traditional lamp before the start of any function – Rani Mukherji, Asha Bhonsale, SriRam Lagoo and Sachin Pilgaonkar ..

the welcome to the venue amidst mobbing and the traditional Maharashtra horn trumpets ..

There is more … but enough for the day I would assume !

Pune the city of art and literature and culture and all that is classical and ethnic now bears a metro city, with large and grand structures defining the skyline, where before there was nothing but serene drive ways, trees and the odd bungalow, tiled, single floored and peaceful ..

Pune had but one distinction it was the one city in the country or perhaps the world that had the largest fleet of bicycles on the road .. it is there even now, except they have a motor and move rapidly and are often referred to as mobikes !! Pune also had the distinction of having some of the earliest Film Studios in the country. Indeed one of them has been converted into the Pune Film Institute, which has given to the Industry so many talented artists and technicians ..

It used to be a wondrous drive from Mumbai to Pune in those early days .. crossing over by Taloja and the delicious biryani that was on offer at the stalls, when you broke journey … the sudden and steep climb over the ghats and the various places of worship that one passed as one steadily climbed passed them, paying our respects to the Gods for a safe journey through this somewhat treacherous route over the mountains … and then Lonavala, a delightful calm and salubrious climate welcome, more food before the final thrust to Pune.. and then the tunnels and then the city and the Blue Diamond Hotel, perhaps the only one then .. now of course there are a zillion of them … some years later the Osho Ashram of Rajneesh the Bhagwan and the community he had created within for mostly westerners to come and find inner peace and wellness ..

Oh ! One can go on and on with the many experiences of the city .. and as always … more of that on some other day …

It has been a bit tiring .. in on the plane to Pune, straight to the venue, the ceremony and then back to the airport, started up the engines and back to Mumbai …

So I shall beg leave … but there will be more on another occasion ..

Love and more to all ..

Amitabh Bachchan

An evening spent with the media as their guest editor

2012-01-13T03:48:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 11 , 2012 Wed 11 : 34 PM

Nandita undergoes surgery .. !! And is well .. we all pray for her speedy recovery …

An evening spent with the media as their guest editor. It is a Marathi newspaper, Loksatta. A most invigorating conversation. More on what my opinions are about the state and the films and the morals and social impressions of a country, than what should be appearing on the front pages, or the edit column.

Much of the talking was done by me, which was unusual. Editors normally listen to what the team has to say and then give instructions to execute them. Or am I completely off the track ? All the same the meeting was fascinating. Most of what newspapers do is I would like to believe, not an unknown secret. With the rapid growth of communication through science and technology, we are at a stage where all information has been banked as though the world were coming to an end the very next day ! It is a fortunate development that there are such institutions which do record for posterity. Many do not believe in this concept. A recent article I read of a prominent star, expressed so in just so many words. He was not interested in posterity, or a legacy that he wished to leave behind. I thought that was revolutionary and most individual. When the rest of the world is attempting its best to be able to record all that it can for the years and ages to come, there are some that care little about it. As time and circumstance pass by with rapid speed, we are becoming more conscious of what can be retained in as pristine a condition as possible. Capsuling time was some of the worthy achievements that the system of the culture of the past had practiced. With advanced methodology we are now in a state to do all this in a more scientific manner and also do it personally too. Generations after us shall quite obviously, be greatly more informed and in greater authenticity, than what some of us at this time may be struggling to acquire. Perhaps the entire concept of questioning may become redundant. Questions are asked when there is a paucity of answers, but when answers are all available at the press of a button, I wonder whether we would need those that gave us information, advice, knowledge by the fireside at night after dinner, at all.

Does society change cinema, or cinema change society ? I really have no answer for it. I answered to the team of Loksatta, that I was least interested in finding out this answer. What I was most interested in was getting a job. And if that job during the course of its execution was reflecting societal changes, please do not misjudge it as a deliberate attempt from me as an artist, responsible for it. This is not to entirely reject the concept of social change through a medium as powerful and strong as the moving pictures, for there are many of the fraternity that shall get involved in productions solely on the basis of expressing a particular thought. God bless them and their efforts, but I am lame in this regard. For us the instinct of survival has been given greater importance than what the world thinks. It is undoubtedly a somewhat selfish thought, but what else can one argue in defense of it when we know and are burdened with the thought that, the worker or the common man that earns a meager living for the entire day shall not want to be entertained by social and institutionalized philosophy, when he seeks escapist departure. Most executers of the cinema of escapism would love to hide behind this time worn theory and argument, for, it still spells correct. Not so for the exclusive few who remain true in spirit and thought about what cinema needs to do in the realm of morality, effectiveness and its reality in its members.

If the system has failed and there is anger against all that governs us, then for an anger to erupt in the shape of a character which symbolizes all that needs to be paid attention to, becomes heroic and valid. Much of that today would perhaps not be so acceptable because the opportunities and the availability of diverse vocations fills the air with hope and chance to be in better circumstance – an exalted state, which all wish and want to adopt. Consider that to be the economic changes that now press the culture of the country, or any other, we shall pander, to use a somewhat harsh term, to what the viewer wants and desires. If it is fun related meaningless pictorially fascinating visuals, sprinkled with the odd music extravaganza of passion and excitement, then so be it. Then the need to make subjects that hopefully shall awaken the conscience of the nation, would be put on a back burner. Purists would disagree, but when did they not.

Is our culture taking example from the West. Is it polluting our centuries old norms, perhaps yes and perhaps not. It would have to be an individual thought. You cannot take the advantage of the Western worlds technological progress, apply it to ours, reel in its benefits and then scream that we are adopting the ills of a developed world. If we were late in evolving and matching the industrial revolution of the west, lets us not put blame. Yes we were subjugated, repressed, conquered made slaves of and perhaps deliberately kept away from all modern forms of progress, but in the time since we have had our Independence, we can proudly say that the level of achievement has been more than rapid and satisfactory. What was looked down upon is now being strained to look up to. What was ridiculous in content is now glorified and rewarded. When all else in their world is breaking down our world is showing remarkable resilience. We must be doing something right then. Not all of it can be acknowledged as correct, or even near perfect, but it does have the capacity to be taken note of. The courage and the will to have done so needs to be applauded ..

Does the process of thought and language and its poetic ramifications compare well with what is being dished out now. Perhaps not. In fact certainly not. The aesthetics of the old still haunts us greatly. But so does that brashness of this generation among its own. Are they wrong and we right ? I would never hazard a guess !! When we emerged that is what the generation before us thought about us, and soon the generation after the present shall think about them thus too. The circle or the cycle of life shall dictate its terms to us. Accept or be another ordinary. Ordinary never in a diminished sense, but ordinary compared to what the present may seem to many …

How have you remained with the present for so long, they ask me. I have not. I am still on the treadmill, but I do on occasion look around and about me. The treadmill is my necessity, looking around does give me perspective of what I was and have become. Not with any malice or bad intent, but one that is willing to acknowledge the two, in equal terms ..

Is being equal to all a sin … can the Ef really contradict the sense of oneness that we maintain on this platform ? I would think not …

Love and more …

Amitabh Bachchan

What I need to do is to write the Blog before all else

2012-01-11T01:07:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 10/11 , 2012 Wed/Thu 12 : 20 AM

What I need to do is to write the Blog before all else. Because all else is taking the preference away from what really should be of priority. When it is time to open and page my thoughts here, they are fatigued and without zest. At times my compulsion to not miss a day provokes me to put something down. Something that shall at least not be overlooked by the Ef … they are supreme and valid and committed .. they must live and survive .. my survival is unimportant compared to theirs … and so I write, even though it is time to be writing dreams ..

So … a sudden trip by the grandchildren with their Mother, who forms my child, cheers the household up. Activity around the house livens up, again and what would have been normal, now occupies a place which is excitingly normal ! The dining table is the same, but the moment of laying the food and the cuisine undergoes a revolutionary change. It is more suited to the 11 year old, who has surprised us all by making a short film on his own, on his laptop ! Story, screenplay, shooting it, editing it, putting back ground music to it, the titles and the graphics that normally go with it … all of it, by one simple soul .. and I must say it is rather good !!

More proposals later in office from recognized producers and another audio release of the very talented singer Kailash Kher brings me back home to be with family. Been doing a lot of Kher’s in the last few days .. Anupam Kher’s book release not too long ago, and now Kailash Kher’s music album … hmmm …

Shah Rukh drops by to meet the ‘little one’ , a few others too from the fraternity visit the still in wonder bundle .. and we spend all our time in trying to spend as much time as possible with her !! Simple pleasures of life ..!!

And behold … NDTV apologizes to me via a mail about the Virat Kohli incident and the misquote, and shall be carrying the correction and apology on their channel, or so they say, tomorrow .. A nice and honest gesture greatly admired, unlike some of the other 4 rth ones that adamantly refuse to. And in all fairness I have not written to them officially on the error. They picked it up from the Blog, this blog of ours, this home, this valued Ef territory … quite something is it not … shows that there are some that actually read what we communicate eh ?

Okaaay ! My yawns are beginning to hurt .. they being so large and wide that the mouth is unable to contain them any longer … ha ha .. so one wishes you all the very best for the night and we shall meet tomorrow ..

My love as ever ..

Amitabh Bachchan

There needs to be a serious attempt to get down to reading

2012-01-11T01:06:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 9, 2012 Mon 11 : 26 PM

There needs to be a serious attempt to get down to reading, that, which needs to be read. The longer the wait the less important the matter tends to become. Immediate address-al shall perhaps be preferred if a clean table is desired, but the danger is of hasty and incorrect decisions if that were to be so ..

Spending time giving opinion and analyzing projects can be an interesting prospect. But doing so without concurrence and agreement can be wasteful and of no value at all. And when the desire to convince reaches a point where it cannot be stretched any further, disinterest sets in. The loss of a project takes over and before you know it, some other party has taken it over and made a success of it. What is left is lamentation or perhaps that most irritable and condescending remark – ‘O ! that project came to me first. I left it !’

Assessment of what is right or wrong can either be individual, or collective through a tested team. But finding the team is in itself an exercise in futility. How does one ever have the acumen to be able to do that. Which is why when the concept of an extended family came up to me, I never cringed or opposed it. It was to me a genuine desire to fulfill, to extend to those that took trouble to connect. And now when I look back I must admit that it has been one of my truest accomplishments – give or take a few hiccups !!

But much of it has been your doing. I may have begun, but the catalyst was the Ef, the FmXt. Your nobility and character, your discipline and commitment, have been the corner stones of this vast association. Good use is being put to by the varied talents that we all possess, in making this home of ours a sacred place of togetherness and care .. Your desire to make it so has been its success factor. Thank you.

Okaaaaayyyyyyyyy !! the children are coming back to Jalsa, by some good fortune. Changes in travel have made it so and I do look forward to the times to start ringing again of laughter and ‘chahel pahel’ … Such luxuries are rare and need to be used to its maximum. There is an odd travel though for me, but limited to the day.

The Pune Film Festival wishes to honor me for my contribution to cinema ans I find that most embarrassing, for the truth is that I really have not contributed at all ..

Another trip is towards Nasik to inaugurate a School for ‘special’ children, one that I have initiated some years ago through a very dedicated friend of mine from the Police force. Public appearances are scary and time consuming. Welcome and speeches of wisdom and care follow, photographs are taken and then the relief when you can get back home. In the end one wonders whether the trip was worth its while. Did the presence enhance the conditions or not. That is of value, nothing else matters …

There is a certain charm I have noticed in keeping a watch over those that this generation calls ‘watches’. You know the ones you tie to your hand to remind yourself of what is slipping by. I say this in some wonder because the watch is fast becoming redundant. Not because they do not fall into the category of decoration, but because the mobile has taken its place. It is held close to your hand at all times. So better to have a look there than turn your wrist to ascertain where we are and what it is that the setting sun indicates !!

But yes, maintaining one of those master sized clocks is fascinating. The quarterly chimes and then the gong for the hour – musical and rhythmic and nostalgic ! I manage two now in close proximity to where I work in my office and they are a joy to be spending time with. ‘Time’ ? sorry that was unintentional !!

May I put the Ef to some questioning … how would you perceive me on screen, on tv and on voice . What kind of stories or films would be preferred for me. And … what of Abhishek and Aishwarya and Jaya .. ?? Where and how would one want to see them in film ??

Lemme know ..!! bit of slang there … excuse .. is it really slang .. I would think not .. what would you describe that … ‘lemme’ ?? Hmmm … too many questions for the day .. well ..

Love ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Its is Sunday again, much like any other – a gym routine in the early hours

2012-01-11T01:05:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 8, 2012 Sun 11 : 05 PM

An Ef family in distress, a member in emergency, no help no support in alien land, a request for help and out comes the savior - another Ef ! Unknown to the family, but working and helping as though it was his own .

Tejas and Julie in Dubai, you have brought great dignity grace and voluntary help to a level that can never be expressed in words .. Thank you for looking after the stranded family of Fatima from South Africa in Dubai and her cousin in distress in hospital. I am so proud to have such extended family in my midst !!

Can we have a loud cheer for this remarkable couple !! Thank you ..

Its is Sunday again, much like any other – a gym routine in the early hours, a sit out in the sun, a few meets at Prateeksha and back to Jalsa and the Sunday well wishers, who today like some other days come in twice .. once when its bright and visible and the other in the dark shadows of the almost night. The pictures are revealing and of some interest, but the process of posting them is so time consuming that I am keeping it away from tonights act … better to rest early than to try and beat the chiming clock .. we shall put them all up later and this time perhaps in some greater detail .. perhaps with a story line leading on to the perched front at the gates.

One fears unacceptability. One should, if one is in the world of being assessed. You are assessed because you have requested to be viewed and to pass opinion on. People, the most important of all, will take liberty with opinion. They pay hard earned money to gather in one concentrated group to judge. Their judgement shall be the ultimate test of opinion. When they dislike, or reject, it projects unacceptability. When they acclaim, they project acceptance. Even though acceptance at all levels and at all times does not exist, it does not take away from me the continuous fear of the unacceptable. I would worry, have sleepless nights, consider consequences, have night mares … all the works ! But many … and this involves a lot could never ever be in such condition.

I would consider it a great fallacy, a regret, if such condition were to be absent from me. Many do not. I would marvel at them and at their superiority. They that can manage to live beyond this, need to be set aside as people with special qualities. And they that have reasons and false beliefs that what they perform is indeed the correct path, need to be hoisted on shoulders and driven down the city in cavalcade honor !!

Wisdom does not come in an instant. It needs the pain of experience – to hurt to heal to peel to scar – to be able to be recognized and possibly accepted. The wrinkled grey, do not just wrinkle and grey by design. They represent years of struggle, hardship, uncertainties and abject poverty of living, to arrive at just the starting point. Those that race ahead to the finish tape, chesting it out in fake brinkmanship or success of speed, never look back to acknowledge the patient workers. For, if they would they would have realized that the fall that awaits them after the taped finish, shall be irretrievable. The ones at the start know and have seen that massive and all enveloping crater of mammoth size, waiting to engulf these inexperienced. But … if you do not pay heed … you will not win ! Unless of course you are content with being at the bottom of the tail. It is not too bad a situation to be down there, just that you will never be able to see the horizon .. it can be quite pretty at times .. the horizon I mean !!

Love …

Amitabh Bachchan

There are times when a public appearance baulks you

2012-01-11T01:04:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 7/8 , 2012 Sat/Sun 12 : 42 AM

There are times when a public appearance baulks you. And when it happens at regular intervals, it is even more so. Public figures do not have the right to express themselves thus, but at times it is important to share impressions with the Ef .

And does not the expression on the face and the language of the body aptly describe our state. But .. let me say this, that no matter how exhausted or tired we may be of our public persona, a scream of recognition from the fans is sufficient material to erase many a morose temperament. They lift your spirit, allow the adrenalin to flow into the right spots, pick up your temperament and send it soaring beyond …

These thoughts are not originally mine, but one that I may have picked up firstly through experience, and then through what we were told through stories and examples. It was Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, independent India’s first Prime Minister, that had disclosed this to someone during one of his election campaigns, and I believe they are true in spirit. His other episode that he often talked of was the showing of black flags to him during his visits to his city of birth, Allahabad. He was Prime Minister, loved and adored by millions of his countrymen, but he would recall, every time he visited Allahabad, his electoral constituency, a section of the polity would have demonstrations against him and show him black flags as he drove by. His response … nothing ! Indeed it was looked upon as having an element of positivity.

A Mother, he would say, places a black ‘tika’ on the face of her new born child to protect it from ‘nazar’, from evil. These black flags of protest waved at me are the equivalent of that black ‘tika’ on the new borns face .. !!

Simple, generous and so converting the anti into a pro … !

We must have several of these to deal within ourselves as we confront the varied and wide range of similar condition. It requires strength of character and an obtuse sense of bearing, to be able to ward off such evil, but there it is … effective and utterly dismissive !!

Many among the next generation argue against such condition. Their value and stance is more aggressive and strong. If there is negativity, pay it back in equal measure. That unfortunately is the only language, or so this generation thinks, to be the only answer.

Do we then change according to the beliefs of this gennext, or does one pursue what one has been brought up to believe. In my state and age, I would side with the bringing up and retaining what we needs must retain. I doubt whether this generation shall want to even give it the minimum of space. They may be right … but what does one do with that which has been considered right through the ages ..

I shall tell you what …

You slip into bed cover your head and body and sleep …

Good night !!!

Amitabh Bachchan

When children leave, its like the last goblet of water breaking in your hands and the thirst unquenchable

2012-01-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 5/6 , 2012 Fri/Sat 12 : 24 AM

When children leave, its like the last goblet of water breaking in your hands and the thirst unquenchable ! The silence of the home becomes unbearable. You search for them in each room, nook and corner and resign yourself to a most despondent condition. The daughter and grandchildren have left and the ‘little one’ still too small to interact with – getting there but shall take more time, is not conditioned yet for play and company !!

People pester me with questions on the name. We do not have it. They assume different theories and confabulations on the reason for its delay .. and we laugh. Its not some nuclear formula that shall destroy the world in a jiffy that we hold on to. But the media makes it out to be such. Confabulations.

Last night as I turned in I took in a glance at the news on Tv and came across a discussion quite by chance on NDTV. It was between two prominent authorities on cricket and morals and the alleged ‘middle finger’ incident of Virat Kohli at the Sydney test in progress in Australia. Kishore Bhimani, an old Calcutta friend and Lord Megna were being queried by a ‘just out of journalism school damsel’, who after a while brought in my name ! She went on to accuse me of having stated on Twitter, or at least assumed from my sayings on twitter that I had encouraged Virat, by a ‘we are with you, play well’ remark !

Fact is, that the channel has, very cleverly and surreptitiously, to suit the controversial nature of its broadcast philosophy, put in a text of mine from a previous interaction I have had with the young cricketer, and made it sound juicy and ‘worthy’ of discussion on a national platform.

Three or four days ago I came across Virat Kohli’s tweet where he was stating that criticizing the team members of their poor performance in the recent Test series on play now was not fair. After all he said ‘we are humans not machines’. I thought this to be a wrong impression to have of the team and tweeted back to Virat that he ‘should not worry’ and that he ‘continue to play well, because we are with him’.

Two days later the finger episode happened, where, when the crowds in the stadium abused his Mother and sister as he walked out from the field, he showed them his middle finger !!

Now … all this was under heavy discussion when they, the NDTV channel lady brought in my name in this by stating that … But Mr Bachchan has told Virat ‘we are with him and to continue playing’, insinuating therefore that I was acknowledging his action endorsing it and whether that was good for the game or not !!

Such a mischievous and most unbecoming manner of behavior in one of the most respected channels of Mr or rather Dr Pranoy Roy, was just not expected. It was fortunate to have Lord Meghna on the other side refuting the journo, by defending me in saying that he had never ever heard or seen Mr Bachchan make any disparaging remarks to anyone and that he had always conducted his life in the most respected manner. But look how trouble is created and manufactured on this powerful media with zero responsibility. The urge and the commercial necessities of their business will tear into misinformed and manufactured news, without a care for the damage that they cause ! I shall of course be writing to Dr Roy on this and hope some correction is executed rapidly.

And yes … I do retweet the good reactions of praise for Abhishek’s films .. and yes I am his Father and shall not stop from doing it just because a few abusive elements on this social network think otherwise. Look into your own ‘daman’ and see how every single tweet of the media is all about themselves and a request to go watch their particular programmes. No one ever complains about them do they ? !! Why, just the other day I had a message from RajDeep Sardesai of CNNIBN asking me if I could mention one of his programmes on my site on twitter !!! So … yes .. my numbers are large on Twitter … 1.88 million followers .. largest in India and fourth largest in Asia .. an attractive reach out to prospectives !!! But they are not large to put out your matter. I shall decide what I wish to and what I do not … and yes on occasion my son shall have priority … YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT …. !!!!!

Amitabh Bachchan

DC Avanti after the unveiling smashing car has the look of a Ferrari or the Lamborghini

2012-01-11T00:59:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 5/6, 2012 Thu/Fri 1 : 38 AM

BLOG 1357 Jan 5, 2012 Thu 6:30 PM

Falcon 2000 Private Jet

40,000 ft east of Udaipur on way to Mumbai

( Before all else greetings for Manish Parmar for the 6th Jan … his birthday, but more importantly our deepest condolences to Naresh Bhatt on the passing away of his Mother … we grieve with you in this difficult hour and our prayers are with you and the family )

Did I not say sometime back when posting in similar circumstances that the best creative ideas, for some strange reason, come at high altitude when flying from one destination to another ? Well this flight is an exception ! Nothing even remotely creative occupies those cells in the upper regions of this weary body today !

Compulsively, and because we have been able to beat the fog in Delhi, by taking off earlier than scheduled, I am punching in words because I may be late tonight and perhaps not be in a position to write later.

We are flying at reduced speed. No, its not a compulsion keeping fuel saving consumption in mind. Mumbai Air Traffic Control does not permit private aircraft to land before 7:30 PM and I guess we are going to be reaching there ahead of time, hence !

Its been a rushed day … so what else is new … rush to the gym, rush through the shower, rush to the airport, rush through horrid traffic, rush to be able to catch the time slot given for take off, rush through to waiting personnel at Delhi airport for the event, rush to Sopaan, rush through a change of dress, rush to Pragati Maidan the site for the AutoExpo, rush through the mass of people come to see the unveiling that I perform for the DC Avanti, the super sports model indigenously made by a private designer, rush out of same maddening crowds, rush back to the airport in Delhi, rush to aircraft amidst mobile operated photographers, and now after landing, rush to YRF to see the trial for cast and crew of Abhishek Bachchan’s new release –PLAYERS !!

The day would hopefully end past midnight and then it’s a 5 AM call tomorrow morning … of which, in the post of tomorrow night !!

The DC Avanti after the unveiling … smashing car .. has the look of a Ferrari or the Lamborghini ..

The well wishers on my arrival at the venue .. at the back one can see the sloping pyramid like structure .. it was the building where we shot the climax of ‘Trishul’ .. the first unit to be allowed to do so .. how time flies !!

Winters in Delhi are divine and always bring back memories of the years spent returning back from boarding in Nainital, Sherwood College. Of University of Delhi and the student years. But mostly that early morning chill coming in from the netted windows of our home at 13, Willingdon Crescent and the great urge to step out into the cold for a run. Out through the gates of the house down the crescent running parallel to the impressive boundary walls of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, residence of the President of India, built by the British during the Raj to house the Viceroy in all his regal splendor. I am told it is still one of the largest palaces in the world, magnificent in structure and design. Had I ever imagined as I ran past it, along the reddish ‘bujjery’ – crushed soil to lay the soft path along the tar road – that I and many other of my family would be decorated by the highest honors of the country within the portals of this Palace ?

University was such anticipated pleasure each day. Not the study. Just the meeting of friends, coffee canteen on campus, moving from one College to another, gathering together for inter collegiate games – cricket, hockey, basketball … and that most important of all … a ride on the Lambretta, the popular scooter, that had just been introduced onto the roads of the city, popularized among students by that delicious film from Hollywood – ‘Summer Holiday’. Possessing a scooter was the biggest luxury within the fraternity. In a College of a thousand there were perhaps just four ! You may well imagine the value that the owners of this transport. The envy being trebled, because they got the best girls to ride pillion, whilst we and most of us ‘we’ luxuriated in the the more common man mode of travel – the DTU bus. Or was it DTS ? Somewhere down the line names and corporations changed.

Owners of this precious Lambretta, were always royalty and treated like so. Their coffee and cokes and cutlets – the most consumed eatables at canteens – were invariably free. The hope of being able to use their two wheeler to impress the girls being prime reason. And when they did give the scooty out, the gas was on account of the driver !! Maintenance was a bother. None of us had the means to service or repair breakages, so invariably they would be driven in terrible condition. But who cared so long as it was moving.

I had the benefit of having possession of one from a close friend, during my final year and actually drove home in it and to the University the next morning , which was like …. Heaven !!

Heaven yes ! But in what circumstances ! A few feet out of the campus the accelerator wire snapped and left me stranded in the cold evening of a Delhi winter. So not wanting to be daunted by the situation, I pulled the wire out of its casing that ran to the grip where the handle was, and drove on with the wire in my right hand pulling and releasing it to gain speed or bring it down. A sight perhaps not normally seen. But I remembered that moment and used it in a film of mine called ‘Roti Kapda aur Makaan’ made passionately by Manoj Kumar, where I played a young army officer who had lost his right hand. In the climax I had to ride a motorbike for the action sequence and I rode it with my left hand keeping the accelerator wire in my mouth to pull at it and release it for speed !!

Life comes round in strange ways !!

The voice recorder on the plane has announced to us that we need to fasten set belts, put away all equipment and put our seats upright for landing ….!!

Its been a pleasure being with you … thank you for flying with my Blog, Ef ..

Good night and have a pleasant stay ..

Amitabh Bachchan

ps : and yes just back from the trial show for PLAYERS and it has to be said that it was a most enjoyable film. Fast paced, with not a moment when there is’nt a twist in the tale and great presentation and action ..

Have had two most praiseworthy messages from the people who were at the press show and that is most encouraging. Of course the ‘regulars’ will write disparagingly about the film, but we at least know by now that they work on an anti agenda … may the Lord bless them and give them the courage of their diminished conscience !!

Amitabh Bachchan at Anupam Kher’s book launch

2012-01-05T03:14:00.001-08:00

Amitabh Bachchan at Anupam Kher’s book launch

Amitabh Bachchan read out excerpts from Anupam Kher’s book on the power of life and highlighted Anupam’s grandfather’s quote Bheega hua aadmi baarish se nahin darta (The rain makes no difference to one who’s soaked). Kirron Kher talked about how Anupam had always been around for her before they became life partners. Anupam himself felt that failure had taught him more about life than even his successes had. David Dhawan was around to lend his support on the actor’s first foray into publishing.

Was Amitabh flattered when he heard a Sholay ringtone playing on a cellphone in the audience? We weren’t sure as he laughed and commented, “Now that’s so old!”

Big B, Priyanka, Bipasha in Dabboo Ratnani’s 2012 Calendar: sneak peek

2012-01-05T03:12:00.000-08:00

Big B, Priyanka, Bipasha in Dabboo Ratnani’s 2012 Calendar: sneak peek

Watch the making of photographer Dabboo Ratnani’s 2012 Calendar

Dabboo Ratnani is one of the most sought after celebrity photographers in Bollywood, and his yearly calendar is the most awaited. He has clicked rare pictures of all the top stars of B-town year after year. Right from Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Hrithik Roshan, Arjun Rampal to Sushmita Sen, Sanjay Dutt, Vidya Balan, Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Kangna Ranaut, Kajol, Asin, Genelia and…the list is endless! BollywoodLife presents to you the making of Dabboo’s 2012 Calendar, with Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra and Bipasha Basu.

Wonder where that fresh breath of abbreviation arose from – SHMG

2012-01-05T01:19:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 4/5, 2012 Wed/Thu 12 : 33 AM

Wander not in correctness, it may be false. Wander not in falsehood it may be correct. Wander in, wander out, in falsehood and correctness and ye shall behold a world more suited to the prevalent, than that which we believe to be prevailing.

Push the doors open of that which needs to be recognized irrespective of your own sensibilities, and ye shall find they open to the vastness and beauty of mediocrity. It will and shall always be so, for, those that recognize the delicate and fine, may forever be in a minority. The rule of the majority shall be recognized ever, unless and until they are subjugated by power – the ultimate conqueror !!

Our span of attention has undergone such a vast invasion of technology, that we are now dependent almost instantly on that which comes to us without effort. Solution to the most intricate of queries are resolved by the bank of stored information on super computers, generously connected to the oddest of names in modern times – Google !! Its brand presence has converted itself, through time, from a pronoun to a verb. And at times from a proper noun to one that is more ‘verb’al ! The process of thought, of discussion, of considered opinion has given way to stoppage of all else, because when Googled, there was an answer which cannot be now, beyond any further argument or reason. Add a bit of religiosity to it in expression and one can be seen debating conversation which propounds that Google is the Bible of all information. Indeed, all else as well !

The business of out sourcing, started quite innocently as a deep management exercise essential, has transferred itself to the screen I look upon now as my communicator, guide and most generous friend – one that I cannot now exist without. My hands quiver when I attempt, on that rarest of occasions, to sign a personal letter or my cheque. My spelling senses have been invaded by automated assistance. My reliance on the ‘other mode’ is complete, without any qualm. My own, has gradually given way to that which was invented perhaps to ease load. It has now, much like the carnivorous creeper that devours the very tree trunk it wraps itself around so delicately in the beginning, eaten into our psyche our systems or whatever else it may be called, that operates within us.

The brevity that now forms the messaging mania through our mobiles, may have been a great teacher on precis writing. Particularly so in matters where restrictions run into that magical 140 ! But our knowledge of ‘spelling’, such an important element in the learning of any language, has been overtaken by a lingo which only the very ‘bright’ in their sense can decipher. And I have not even touched upon the whole abbreviated world, yet. Because IMO, I shall be ROTFL or more likely ROTFLMAO were I to be put in such situation ! SHMG ..!!

Wonder where that fresh breath of abbreviation arose from – SHMG ?? Go figure !!

Significantly then and in consonance with prevailing methodology, we are bonded in a way to modernity, in a manner that shall lead us to robotic proportions within the next couple of years. Our manufacturing has already been programmed ! Today they say they have invented through great science, the human sperm. No need for any ‘contributions’ through sexual process. We’ll do it for you ! Infertile ? Not an issue. Got this tube full of ‘reproduction’ which shall be capable of manufacturing what you may desire – a pig, a worm, another human !! DNA shall take care of the desired color of eyes. Err .. could we have a blue and a green on either side and oh ! yes, no illnesses please, a cross in the box which states cancer, aids and the like .. thank you. We’ll be waiting outside at the delivery counter to pick up our ‘manufactured’ parcel of joy !! Thank you for coming by !!! Next !!

Next …

Next would be sound sleep as rapidly as possible … there is travel tomorrow early to Delhi to the AutoExpo to unveil the first sports model car designed and manufactured in India, by that most talented and creative DC – Dilip Chabbria – innovator, inventor and reputed designer of ome of the most important luxury cars in the world .. yes .. quite unbelievable but true. Contractual obligations prevent him from naming names. But may I say that having had access to some of his work and mind, what I disclose here is not .. not manufactured !!

Love and good night … not necessarily in that order !!
Amitabh Bachchan

Mehboob Khan took Dilip Kumar and his film ‘Aan’ to Hollywood

2012-01-05T01:15:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 3, 2012 Tue 11 : 30 PM

I was asked by Namrata Joshi of the Outlook magazine if I could pen some thoughts on the rising importance and visibility of Indian Films, not just within but outside of our country too. The original was pruned by the editorial machinery of the magazine, as is mostly the case, but here below is the way I wrote it. yes the pruned version was obviously better edited and reads well, but this was me _

StartSelection:0000000199 EndSelection:0000010391

On a lazy summer afternoon as I walked past the Montmartre towards the majestic Basilica of the Sacred hearts, commonly known as the Sacre-Coeur, situated on a hill, the highest point in the heavenly city of Paris, France, I suddenly heard the strains of a Hindi film song emanating from a human voice. I wondered first if this was some delusion that I was undergoing, for I was on a sabbatical after several years of continuous work, and such environs are most conducive to the cause, but I was wrong. It was indeed someone not too distant from where I was standing, not of my color, creed or nationality, with an expectant smile on his face, willing, I was certain, for some recognizable response.

After a few moments of staring at one another, we both moved across to each other, in a most film like manner, and with just a hint of appropriate embarrassment I asked him the obvious.

He was not French, only spoke it and spoke no English. He was a shade more colored than I was and through some rather odd and unique gesticulations finally was able to convey to me that he was from North Africa and loved Indian movies. The song was from Sholay and even with his North-African-French-Hindiised accent it was unmistakably the famous, “ yeh dosti, hum nahin todenge “!
It was the early 90’s and almost 20 years have gone by since that incident. I must admit I was not too surprised by it. For long years had we been hearing of ‘ Awaara ‘ and the Raj Kapoor mania in the Soviet Union and the adoration with great flamboyance of Shammi Kapoor in Beirut.

But these were destinations that were closer home – North and Mid Eastern geographically. Further West, apart from the dedicated and starved for Hindi film entertainment NRI, there was little knowledge or acknowledgement of our cinema.
In 1982-83 I went on a World Concert Tour to Europe, UK and the USA with Kalyanji – Anandji for a first time venture and played to packed audiences in some of the most prestigious venues, procured, after some very obstinate denials, where previously the likes of Sinatra and Elvis had performed. The audiences were Indian of Indian origin and from neighbouring lands, but not a single local among them. No one in the West knew of us. In fact soon after my marriage in 1973, Jaya and I were asked to do a friendly appearance at a concert in London being conducted by a popular group from Mumbai. There were just 5 people in the auditorium – 2 were Jaya’s relatives and the balance, ushers !
That was then. Now within the last 15 years or so, the scenario has drastically changed. The overseas market has become one that is recognized as being one of the more lucrative. Our films are released in regular prominent distribution centres the world over, and our top stars are household names with massive fan followings.

Mehboob Khan took Dilip Kumar and his film ‘Aan’ to Hollywood in those early years to seek Western recognition, but came back after facing embarrassing comments from the biggest of director producers. The ugliest being –“ Mr Khan, your film just goes ‘on and on and on’”, a sarcastic pun on the title of his film !
Mr Lulla and his huge entertainment empire which goes by the name of Eros International, apparently started his early years in the distribution of our films overseas from Israel, where he and his brother would hand paint titles of Hindi films and stick them up at modest enclosures, to screen our films.
In many of my interactions with the foreign media during those times, there was a chuckled cynicism and acerbic criticism of the kind of escapist fare that our films indulged in and ‘running around trees singing songs’ became a synonym for all Indian Cinema, barring of course the ones from Satyajit Ray.
How and what brought on this present change, a change where dedicated western audiences appreciate and follow our films, needs a much larger platform to debate and discuss, but to me, as an interested observer, the reason has been one that really in the true sense, has got nothing to do with creativity or the quality of our cinema.
I may be completely misguided and incorrect in thinking so, but in my opinion every time a country has been economically attractive to the West, everything about it becomes attractive. The banishing of the ‘control raj’, the opening up and the liberalization of the economy in India has provided great investment opportunity to the developed world, the first world. The commercial prospects and the value addition of consumerism has been one that the West has not been able to ignore. Once criticized for the expanse and growth of our population, the foreigner now looks upon it as the growth of the consumer and better sales. When a country improves its economic profile, when it begins to invite outside interest, every element of the country suddenly becomes valuable and popular. So, with liberalization came a deep interest in our politics, our food, our clothing, our music and … our films !
Time played an important role as well. The first generation NRI was now into his or her third generation local, who grew up in the social norms of his country by birth, developed friendships with them, and introduced them to the culture of their roots, i.e films. I seek pardon from the purists of the land when I maintain that, but films today have become our parallel culture and I am not so sure whether this has been good or bad for a country with a cultural history of over 5000 years !
Suddenly all our ‘singing and dancing around trees’ has developed cult following. The structure and expanse of our films, its exuberance and excitement in its stories and particularly in its propagation of poetic justice in 3 hours, has caught the fancy of not just the West but in every part of the world.
Rajnikant’s films do a better business than first day releases of a Japanese film in Tokyo. In Pusan, South Korea, ‘Black’ has been one of the largest grosser’s, larger than in some of the national regions too. Spielberg seeks investment in DreamWorks from an Ambani Reliance Entertainment. Our stars get looked upon as prospective casts in Hollywood productions and we see a generous star cast of the Hollywood brigade visiting us and even though it is polite, making statements of wanting to work in our productions. On a flight in to Cairo from Europe in 1990 as an invitee for their film festival, I came across an Arabic newspaper on board that was announcing my arrival and that my film ‘Mard’ was the most popular – it had been running for a year ! On landing, the reception was so overwhelming that for the first time in my life, my Immigration was conducted in my Hotel room – the mobs making it impossible for the customs staff to function. For a country that does not permit foreign films to run for more than a week or two, it was a wonder how this film of mine was in its 52nd. They told me the truth later. Every two weeks they would change the poster outside to show that a different film was on, when inside they were projecting ManMohan Desai’s classic. They were loving it for the anti-British element in the story !
Soon after, on the turn of the year I took a concert to South Africa, with a special request from the ANC, when it was just about to get liberated from its apartheid past. A 60,000 football stadium filled to capacity awaited the start of the show, 6 hours before the official timing. For once the much maligned Indian Standard Time received thunderous applause, for starting the performance before the official time ! The ushers, white South Africans at the stadium, when asked for their reaction to the multitudes that thronged the venue stated – ‘the only time we saw something like this was when Nelson Mandela was released’!!
The stories are endless, not just for me personally, but I am certain for every Indian film star in our firmament, that has travelled abroad. The NRI population has grown and befriended the local and exposed them to our cinema – a cinema which has been different. They are attracted to the emotions, an entity which the West is often shy to depict or fall prey to. A community that once derided our cinema, now decorates Selfridges, the leading general store in London, with Indian Cinema as its theme for an entire month, when it wanted to honour our creativity and presence. Indian fusion music has mingled with the western style and has become a huge market. Indian restaurants are all over, our designs in clothing material abound in the most distinguished fashion parades. DC, our local entrepreneur in car design is sought to design the latest Jaguar sports model and shall very soon be involved in designing an Indian sports car indigenously. Talks are on for the taking over of one of the most historic film studios in Hollywood by an Indian businessman.
What else would one expect when every 6th , or every 6th and a half individual now, according to the latest census, is an Indian !!
The flavour has changed, not the cinema. We have continued to make the same escapist commercial fare and happy that we did not succumb to the many incessant demands of the West to alter our course.
The clientele for our films is not just restricted to Hindi cinema. Regional cinema – Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Assamese and many others have all received recognition among the regional viewers outside our shores as well. Recent Telugu films have had extraordinary collections of late.
And all this because we were and are different. And yes, we are now economically liberated and of value.
Amitabh Bachchan

It may be worth the while to perhaps end here tonight .. with love and more …
Amitabh Bachchan

wish u very Happy New year Welcome 2012 bachchan family

2012-01-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New year … Welcome 2012

Happy New Year 2012 Bachchan family

Mahendra Gorele

The house resounds with the chitter and chatter of grandchildren

2012-01-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 2/3, 2012 Mon/Tue 1 : 17 AM

To Smita Buch … a birthday wish for today !! Love and happiness always ..

The house resounds with the chitter and chatter of grandchildren. They are all in now at the end of their New Year holidays and shall be with us for some days. They talk mature, they dress mature, they act mature – they are mature .. even at 11 and 14 !! There is a spring about the house from every member, a smile among the staff and an eagerness ‘to do’ rather than ‘it shall be done’. Suddenly all our energies are activated and shrill. Our reasons centered around what they may desire – their food, entertainment, clothing, places to visit, plannings of visits and events .. all done with such intense enthusiasm, one would wonder if royalty would ever get such treatment. But they are above royalty, above all else, they are ours and that is the biggest gift that can be given.

I may have dwelled upon this in one of my earlier posts, when they may have been here, but it is a subject that one never tires of. And I hope we never do. Finally they are in bed, tucked in personally by me, among soft pillows and cozy duvets, their soulful expressions as they shut their eyes, wrenching your heart strings. You sit there in wonder and a gentle smile on your face for long. And then leave them to their aspirational dreams, which you wish bear the comfort and happiness and the joy of bright and beautiful happenings.

There is something so divine about when children sleep. It keeps you riveted to their faces. It is strange but true. Nothing happens. Just a month old little one lying among all the niceties knitted and designed for her by Nani’s and Grannies and Aunts and Bua’s and Mamu and Mami’s. And also the generous thoughtful gifts of clothing from well wishers and those that come to greet. Lying there oblivious to the world except … when your need for the feed is due .. then all hell breaks lose !!

What a time to be born. When communication and science and development has very few questions to answer. When a solution presents itself at touches of buttons. But know of the time when I was born and the shock and wonder on how did our parents manage to bring us up. In Allahabad one night when I must have been about 11-12, my Mother fell seriously sick. My Father was away in England studying for his doctorate and I remember I had to ride out in the pitch of the night, in the desolate surroundings on my bicycle to rush to the doctor around 45 min away and inform him of conditions that prevailed at home. Today a sniffle a running nose and the doc appears within minutes, observes, prescribes medication and it is procured equally rapidly, to be administered !!

When a doctor describes a complicated situation, a terminology which tests your spelling abilities, the Googled assistance is readily there to ease the pain of not knowing what it was that the doc was referring to. Write a problem on the net and a million subscribers shall come back within seconds on how it could be solved. In 1952 we cycled to a friend’s place to receive a phone call from my Father calling from Cambridge, informing us that he had succeeded in getting his thesis approved for his doctorate. It was to be the only call he made in his 2 years that he was away !! In the 2 years that was the only opportunity to hear my Father’s voice !! A situation laughed off today in today’s times. How much has gone by, how much has changed. Yet there are many today that still suffer the vagaries of those times, today. That really is the pity. Sushil Kumar who won the 5 cr jackpot on KBC, had done something similar when he had to call in to register for the game. His first priority, after winning, was to pay back his friend for the hundreds of phone calls he had made by using his phone, the only in his immediate vicinity.

There is a sense of guilt when we describe the advantages that we have in our metropolis and what life has finally bestowed upon us with great generosity. There is a desire to work and contribute and put effort voluntarily for the benefit of those that are devoid of such. We do in our own small way. Publicizing it has in the past brought hope and trouble. Hope from millions of others, that suddenly look upon you as that savior and messiah, that has the capacity to bring change and solution to your life. And trouble because we are incapable of resolving that for an entire nation. Some yes, but all no. Who then to pick for benefit and who to reject. What credentials do they present to us. Do we really need to check and balance such situations. They are in your face virtually. There is that Mother with child in arm that you know well enough needs to be fed to survive. The handicapped, deprived of an arm a leg an important part of his system, that you can see needs help. But how many can one do ? They think we can, we know we cannot do all. But how does one explain doing for one and not the other. A dilemma of immense proportions, perhaps never to be resolved !! Sad but true !!

Thank you Lord for what we receive from you. For the generosity of possessions, for the kindness of health, for the care of want and desire. Allow us to relish this state, be grateful and not seek even more. To be content, to be happy for what we have and not despair for what we do not. There shall never be contentment in desire. The more you get the more you desire. Stop it then ! Have the courage to say it so in so many words and smile.

A genuine smile …

Good night … early morning .. it is past 2:00 AM !!

Amitabh Bachchan

The year of 2012 begins with dusky clouds in the morning and a chill in the air

2012-01-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Jan 1/2, 2012 Sun/Mon 12:05 AM

Wishing GS a very happy birthday for the 1st of Jan and … a collective prayer for Manoj Lahoti’s 9 month old son who suffers in hospital .. and wishing Bhaskar for his birthday on the 2nd Jan .. may there be happiness all around …

The year of 2012 begins with dusky clouds in the morning and a chill in the air .. Nothing quite like the chill of Delhi or the snow and winter of the Western hemisphere, but chill enough for this part of the world, which has acclimatized itself to a healthy 28 to 30 degrees even in the cold. A laughing matter for most of you that live in minus temperatures, but here the wollies and the monkey caps are out in good measure …

But a prayer and a fast later, the sun does emerge and gives us the feel of almost a fresh and new beginning of the day the year and more .. It becomes strange almost to print in the numbers 2012, being so used to the 2011 for an entire year. Also January has come by after some deliberation and effort, as has the beginning of the year activities – awards !! The channels and the print magazines have sent in their initial invitations to block dates. Media friends have begun to soften in the requests for our presence, promising an event that shall be ‘different’ from the others, with a great amount of surprises thrown in …

But the initiation to the year at midnight has been sober and quiet and contemplated and this morning as predicted the pages of information in the press have contained the celebrations, the fireworks, the crowds at beaches and squares, and the special items of dance and frolic at major Hotels and events …

Abhishek has been able to spend an entire day with us after ages – he being flown in every day to different locations for his promotions for ‘Players’ releasing in a few days on the Friday – a fast paced slick film with some rather picturesque and daring stunts in some of the more remote regions of the world – New Zealand to the North Pole via Russia … well almost !!

It would be welcome if the Ef could spread the word around on the film ..

Stepping out to meet and greet the fans of Sunday .. they were large again in numbers and the controlling systems were in place unlike last Sunday when they had attempted to jump into my bed !!

With the son and Father now together almost ‘Sarkaar’ like in disposition .. ha ha !!

They come in all sizes .. cute and innocent until the doors open and they get pushed around ..but from today a system in place where the segregation of the sexes shall be in operation …

A side view outside the gate .. the family returns from Prateeksha after the Pooja and every car that goes in is received with shouts of recognition .. in fact I have slipped in from the back because the traffic has jammed and I am finding it difficult to enter my own home ..

More … and more .. systems gone out of place momentarily .. but better results than that of the other days

The system and the police in order, soon to be disrupted as the gates open …

a departure form the Sunday crowds, to the more lovable canine talks .. Shanouk and its owner up on the bill boards for the cover page of a magazine which we talked about earlier …

Injured … but happy to be at Jalsa ..

Seeking celestial presence .. wish I could be free someday to get to grow such beard, wear the ’tilak’ and the scarce clothing .. become saintly .. visit the snow capped mountains .. live in silent contemplation ..

Happy New Year .. be well and healthy and in great comfort to whatever you do …

My love with this day and the days to come .. however long ..

Amitabh Bachchan

That was not enough ! Just the wide and colored greetings

2012-01-03T08:05:00.003-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 31/Jan 1 , 2011-2012 Sat/Sun 2 : 23 AM

No ! That was not enough ! Just the wide and colored greetings ! Large in font and cut pasted with some haste. It was just the exuberance of another year passing by that prompted it. Perhaps the warmth of the quiet family dinner, perhaps the sudden burst of the fireworks from adjoining Hotel, perhaps just because I had to express something, perhaps …

The expectation of celebration for just another day going by is perhaps the greatest anomaly of our times. Perhaps there is need to indulge, to brighten the house with buntings and blinking christmas trees, to prepare a special meal, to smile and laugh away the year or the day gone by – one doesn’t do that routinely does one ? To wish, to pledge, to resolve, to bring in change in mind and thought – why one does it for this one singular day has always intrigued me. But in all honesty, intrigued me now, never before. Youth and the early years allow celebration and the anticipation of fun and games and an atmosphere that looks special. There is a need for it, perhaps because traditionally it has been executed year after year. As one approaches the latter years of one’s life one discounts its importance – better to get in some well needed rest than to be singing wildly on crowded streets. To mingle with compatriots, our own and join them in theirs and our festivity. There is a certain pragmatism that beckons us, pushes us into rethinking the entire idea of this mood, and helps us to succumb to some calibrated sobriety.

Did we, before we got influenced by our rulers particularly the British, the French and the Portuguese and would you believe from Denmark, celebrate the change of year as bounteously as we do now. I do not hear or read of such reference. But the British with all their pomp and character of pageantry, did bring in all that has still remained with us. Celebration necessities were introduced, formats, protocol and its ethics followed through ages became mandatory essentials. Words were constructed among the locals to be able to give the moment a certain respect. Christmas was dubbed as ‘bada din’ – the big day ! In certain institutions it is still addressed thus. Cities and locations that are still pronounced with their Anglo-Indian communities, do justice still to those routines. Calcutta, then, now Kolkata, was one such city, and in the year of 1962 when I had shifted base from a predominantly Punjabi Delhi to Bengal, many surroundings within which we moved and socialized, bore witness to modalities which reminded greatly of the Raj. In fact some of the private institutes still had restrictions on the admissibility of locals. One such being the Calcutta Swimming Club, membership to which even after Independence was scrutinized to an extent where the Westerner held preference over the local ‘browns’ !!

But I digress. A new year is a new year. It is time passed, moving on to the next. Maybe it does deserve respect and attention. But certainly after the 1st of January it is back to ‘atey dal ka bhav’ … the common needs of everyday life !!

The car hooters and horns still dominate the streets outside. Masses of young scream and whistle the night away, keeping the prying eyes of the uniformed attentive throughout. Tomorrow’s papers shall have a setting sun, or crowds of party enthusiasts swinging to the mid night hour, and God forbid if there has been mischief created by some over some, it shall be outrageously presented.

A summary of what the entire year meant for celebrities, politicians and the business world at large has already been documented. What shall come now, if it has not already, will be the expectations from 2012. Many shall fall victims to this query and give their interpretation of what the next year holds for them, many shall give serious consideration to it and delve into the whole mechanics that will go into operation for 2012.

For me ..

Another year has gone by ….

Remain good and remain healthy .. and do remain connected … to me !!!

Amitabh Bachchan

Happy New year … Welcome 2012

2012-01-03T08:05:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 31/Jan 1, 2012 Sat /Sun 2 : 11 AM

Happy New year … Welcome 2012

Amitabh Bachchan

Borgias’ a teleserial tears me away from what I had imagined would be an early night

2011-12-30T21:39:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 30 , 2011 Fri 11 : 46 PM

Nandita Kao … happy birthday for the 30th .. happiness always and Hardik Shah belated greetings for your birthday on the 29th .. may there always be the best that life can offer for all and for both .. love

‘Borgias’ a teleserial tears me away from what I had imagined would be an early night. Its interesting to see Italy in the 14-1500′s and what intrigue transpired then – all be it fictionalized. But what is most amazing is the production values of these television drama’s played out week after week at such vast and grand settings and their ability to transport you immediately into that era within seconds …
The early hours of the day as darkness still prevails in this metropolis, remind one of the winter months of any European country, barring the temperatures of course and it is quite revealing to see most of Mumbai already out on the streets, limbering up or getting to work, or back from it. Gyming in the morning hours sets the pace for the rest of the day. Its strange but true. Any miscues in the routine set you back as if this body did not belong to you. The couple of hours in the sun thereafter are another blessing. Keeping the greens and not succumbing to the temptations of lucrative developers has been a boon. And looking after the plants and the trees and the foliage around is soothing to our soul. A large ‘gulmohar’ by the gate suddenly after years of its powerful and orange colored existence decided it had contributed enough and chose to slip away. It had lost its branches, just the wide stump of its base was being held together, almost akin to providing crutches to an invalid. Forlorn and devoid of any beauty anymore, it was begging for salvation. Dry, bent and shorn of all its majestic stature, it was leaning over, a threat to those beside it of the enormity of its bulk. Trees and their protection is now under Government ruling. Destroy or dismember one and be prepared to have the law on you. So you follow rulings and inform the Municipal Corporation, who come across and after due paper work, including a photographic condition of the tree, remove it. It is a sad sight to see an important member of your environ not there any more, but quickly and without any delay another has been planted yesterday and soon it shall grow and blossom and provide shade and color and beauty to the entrance.
Now … before there is discourse on this platform on the veracity of this post, may I just say that it has nothing whatsoever to do with any kind of promotional work for the ‘green brigade’. A section of my house was in trouble and I felt it needed to be shared with the Ef. I had actually wanted a ‘raat ki rani’ or the ‘harsingar’ to be planted. They are sweet smelling flowering trees. The ‘raat ki rani’ having its presence felt with the most delicious smell at nights and the ‘harsingar’, with its gentle white flowers with the orange stems, fills up the pathway in the early winter mornings to be picked and used for the offerings to the temple in the house. There is a certain grace about this flower and perhaps that is why it is named so. ‘Har’ coming from ‘hari’ another expression used for the Godly and ‘singar’ or ‘singaar’ coming from the word ‘shringaar’ meaning dressing up with elegance in all finery. So ‘Harsingaar’ the dressing up of the Gods in all their elegance and finery with this particular flower.
But .. on further research I discovered that there were the two above mentioned trees already by the gate and that having yet another would be a duplication, so the ‘gulmohar’.
And so the end of the day and its discourse .. and so the good night .. the clock gong just went off again .. alarm bells ring for a timely bed rest …
Amitabh Bachchan

It is wise when worn out to accept and exit gracefully Big B blog

2011-12-30T01:34:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 29 , 2011 Wed 11 : 59 Pm

It is wise when worn out to accept and exit gracefully. I am today in
such state.

Worn out not from the vagaries of life and times, but worn out from
the inactivity of my existence for these last few weeks. Many profess
that rest after many years of hard struggle and labor demands that one
must succumb to the requirements of the body. It cannot speak this
body, it can show in various ways and I believe it is showing me now.
There is a restlessness that creeps in each hour and I do understand
the pleas of well wishers of not to make hasty decisions, but how long
will I be able to hold that is what remain to be seen.

I do know that there are alternatives and one such came across me by
the evening – reading and music ! A piano that plays on its own, the
chords the rhythm and all but sings for you has been one of my prized
possessions, ever since it was gifted to me by the family. But not
having had any kind of training on it has disturbed me a great deal.
Tonight on a private visit by my friend and composer Aadesh
Shrivastava, I was given some elementary lessons on how to make
maximum use of its properties. The feeling of finally being able to
press out some meaningful notes, randomly and to enjoy its musical
effect has been one of the most enlightening moments in recent times …

I live with it and wish to return to it at the earliest .. so tomorrow
it shall be .. and hopefully now with the recording mechanism in
place, shall be able to burn out some disks ..

I wait patiently for that moment .. but I also wish an early night to all ..

My excuse .. a healthy debate in Parliament which needs to be attended ..

Love to you ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Posted in: Others

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Mahi

Just made it to before the gong strikes its longest hour

2011-12-29T02:33:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 28, 2011 Wed 11 : 59 PM

Phew !!! Just made it to before the gong strikes its longest hour !! And happy that another day has ended. Happy that the Lord gave us a roof above, two square meals, the health and ability to talk and write about it and most of all the love and affection that one derives by connecting to those that truly and affectionately believe in the concept of our extended family !

In a world where it shrinks its inhabitants to solitary existence, away from those that loved and brought them into this world. Where the trust and allegiance to others is considered a hindrance. Where selfish pursuits demolish traditional values, that have survived and existed through centuries, it is most valuable that we have created a platform where without the asking, this marriage of togetherness with the unknown flourishes. It is to your greatest test and acumen and ability that brings us all into a sense of pride, when we witness the operations of those that consistently and devotedly, remain to further the cause by themselves.

I never propagated it, yet it got its initiation from all those that came on. And came on voluntarily, without any pressures or assurances of benefit. Without any bindings of result. That I believe has been our strength and our force of existence. I believe all that connect, do so with a singular purpose of furthering the cause rather than the much debated negativity. Negativity shall, I believe, only affect the one that propels it. The strength of the others shall remain intact, shall flourish. Indeed every time an effort is made to demolish, a stronger and a more permanent structure gets built. Our strength and the strength of our structure is omnipresent and most binding. And because it comes without any frills, remains devoid of any either. That to me is commitment and deserve, holding on in adversity despite the errors of others. Keep it simple then and justifiable. It is the strongest that you will ever get ….

Abhishek travels each day to a corner of the country to promote his upcoming film ‘Players’, which is looking promising according to its makers. I desist from talking much on it, for the accusation then thrown at me is obtuse and vulgar. Not that it bothers, for in the words of Abhishek himself, in his latest interview for the Bombay Times, after his pious visit to Ajmer Sharif to pray, he has never asked the Almighty for anything. ‘If I am deserving, He shall give it to me’. I found that one of the most honest statements in recent times, one that I too would like to incorporate. But I am not as strong in belief as he is. I would ask, and hope it would materialize, but if it did not then would I understand that I was not deserving of it. A subtle difference, but not too far away from each other. His understanding of the conditions and the standings have always been straight and forward – which is slightly different form being straightforward. As parents we can but support and encourage endeavors made by him and yes, hope that they fructify. But as I recently said in one of my Tv interviews when touched upon such subject, that I consider him to be of better and great human value than one that smells of commerce. Commerce will and shall have limitations and limits of time and place, not humanness. That shall be remembered long after the box office has shut. Of course, when commerce is a pursuit that determines effort in field of profession, then it matters to excel and achieve. But what one leaves behind is what in cricketing terms would be aptly described as ‘well left’.

They often ask me if there is concern on my part of a left legacy. What legacy are they talking about ? What my Father left in his name and stature and in his work is the legacy that shall and needs to be protected. That is all. His principles and values if defended would be far far above all the rest of our efforts in the years to come. Let me and allow me to protect that. Make me worthy of understanding the merit of his written word. Let me indulge in the beauty of his mind and perhaps live to experience its greatness in its philosophy and culture and ethos. I profess my ignorance and inability in that course. Teach me then to educate myself in knowing myself through him, my Father. That would be my greatest achievement. Teach me to learn by example of what upbringing my Mother meted to me for me to be able to state this. Cosmetic goodness gets manufactured by the millions every day. Where is the mesure of the inner goodness that I must seek. I shall value what the ‘other’ thinks and believes of me, but I must gain intellect to know what I think and believe. My test for existence must relate to that and no more. Professions shall perish, people shall hemorrhage eventually with my short lived achievements, I and only I shall decipher what and where and how of life that is mine. That shall be my obituary that I shall carry, not one that shall be designed by ‘others’. Did or have I been able and capable to do that ? That is the question … not that which gets documented for posterity – if at all it does !!

I ramble on ! Regardless ! It is not good .. but you are me and I you, so there is pardon ..

Love

Amitabh Bachchan

Confessions of a serial dieter’, by Kalli Purie, daughter

2011-12-29T02:32:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 27, 2011 Tue 11 : 47 PM

‘Confessions of a serial dieter’, by Kalli Purie, daughter of the owner and editor of India Today group comes to me by her to read through and to comment upon it on twitter. The book is interestingly written and presented and the last page where she shows her own progression on weight loss is quite a revelation. With what I see now of her, she should not be in the profession of writing books. She should join the movies !!

But dieting has taken the fancy of the many in modern India. The new generation and the young particularly have given it a cult status. It has become a topic of immediate discussion on meeting up socially. Perhaps it does form the very first conversation and if not checked has the ability to continue till the end of the evening.

The human body and its structure does provide itself for debate quite often. To what end one does not know or realize, but there it is in all its finery. The ‘zero’ status, the ‘bulging status, the six to eight pack status .. it just goes on ! Routines, consumption and various bulge administrators are brought into the conversation ad nauseum and ad lengthum .. Each has their own experience and recipe for reduction and the build and each most possessive about their routine and consumption. It has been a fascinating experience to sit by and listen in when such debate follows at social evenings. The convictions of those that have improved their waist line, the belief of the lines across the packs under the shirt, the bulges, not necessarily by and of the women, but of the muscular variety, take up an entire male corner at such outings. Sometimes ending up in physical demonstrations on the spot by enthusiastic practitioners ..

Then we have the yoga and ayurveda smitten personalities, who speak of nothing else but the nature cures of the universe and the despise towards those that indulge in unnatural means …

Me … I just listen quietly .. allow the other to sink in their point of view and then retreat quietly …

Much like what I do now ..

Good night

Amitabh Bachchan

I wonder often, when those that have problems with slumber

2011-12-29T02:30:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 26/27 , 2011 Mon 10 : 55 PM

I wonder often, when those that have problems with slumber, why they do so. I wondered last night as I struggled to shut my eyes to get into la la land, what I needed to do to refute that thought, for it was a trying time and one that I would not wish for anyone to go through. Yet, I do believe there are some that have to deal with it regularly. And worse that there are legitimate reasons why they find themselves in such condition.

There are mental worries and issues that trouble them. There are often medical conditions that do so. There are other thoughts that keep you awake and devoid of this necessary element. I have been through all those just mentioned and more and I do understand the consequences. But .. to have them at a time when I would like to believe that none of the above, God willing, trouble me, was strange and disturbing.

Its a frightening thought, worrying and put to a lot of questioning. The inability to get that moment when all else fades away in slow degrees, is intriguing enough, but to then start another school of thought where you wonder why you seem not to be in the condition is even worse. For it is then that you begin to imagine thoughts that would perhaps never enter your mind, under normal circumstances.

There are various implementations that one considers during the course of the night. A tablet, recitation of words, perhaps religious in nature at times, thoughts that recapture the entire days’ happenings and such like. And when they fail to deliver the required results, the next option is thought of – out of bed and an involvement in acts that do not connect with the situation. A stroll, a vigorous walk on a tread mill, music, tv, reading something really of no interest. Lovely little innovations these, beter said and thought of than doable. So .. the best option is executed, tv. Fortunately the Indian Cricket team is on a tour of Australia and due to time differences they broadcast at 5 am ! Perfect for someone in my condition ! So on with the table lamp, on with the pillows behind, on with the remote that lies precariously close by, and on with Melbourne and cricket. Now … the other dangers start. Did I not feel that each time I watch a match India loses. Hell ! What then ? Okay …. maybe times and superstitions have gone to bed too and perhaps a sneak into their domain would not be noticed … Damn ! So you think ! We have lost the toss, we are fielding and they are batting and they are batting well and no one is getting out despite the rather sincere efforts of our bowlers !! Howl !!

Get back to the lights off position young man .. errmm .. sorry old man .. got my terminology mixed up, just like my twitter numbers from 603 to 602, until the ever vigilant Rochelle pointed it out to me .. I have since corrected it Rochelle .. no need to be of any worry. But yes concerned that your job went away .. worry not .. they shall regret not having you and there shall be many other doors opening up for you soon … !!

That did not work either ! So got up and splashed my face with the Mumbai winter early morning chill and opened up the freakingest and most devoted companion – the laptop ! Answered a million answers, wrote to respondents till it was time to see off Abhishek as he left for his promotion acts in Lucknow, and attempted another sleep .. managed a couple of winks less that the traditional 40 and went on to mingle with family … read the baby .. who today starts resembling like her Mother after many days of looking like her Father. And that has since changed too. By the evening she is back to Father !

After a short stint and an even shorter lunch a meeting in office … no not another script reading, but a meet with an old time director of mine T Rama Rao, who pays a social visit with his family. T Rama Rao directed ‘Andha Kanoon’ and we talk of old times and changing attitudes and films and the new generation.

‘Andha Kanoon’ making has an interesting story. I was signed for a film in 1969 called ‘Ek tha Chander ek thi Sudha’ a literary masterpiece by that very well known writer and poet Dr Dharamvir Bharati a student of Allahabad University at the time my Father taught there, which was originally called ‘Gunahon ka Devta’. This was the title of the book. But the title was used by Jitendra for a film of his and so we could not use the original title, even though it belonged to Dr Bharati. We began shooting and even went quietly to the streets of Allahabad to take some passing shots of me and came back unnoticed ( in those early days no one knew me anyway so it was not that difficult, but being my Father’s son was my only identity in the city and that was large enough ). But due to financial constraints the film got stuck and shooting stopped. My own position commercially was so abysmal that no one was ready to back it. With time and ‘Zanjeer’ conditions improved, as did the prospects of starting shootings again, but by then the horizon for a film such as ETCETS was not making commercial sense and things started to get delayed a I got busy with other projects. Purnachandra Rao, another prominent producer in the South found out the conditions that existed for me in this stuck project and made an offer. He told the Producer of ETCETS that he was ready to buy the rights of the film, take care of all the investment made, provided he release my contract with them for himself. After some negotiation this was accomplished. Purnchandra Rao or ‘Full Moon Rao’ as we would often refer to him because his name Purnachandra meant full moon, then, having got possession of my contract with the other producer, approached me with an offer to do a small guest appearance in a film he was making with Rajnikant and Hema Malini, called .. you guessed it ‘Andha Kanoon’, and I agreed. ‘Andha Kanoon’ was being directed by T Rama Rao and that is how I came to be associated with the film. But … like all other films bearing guest appearances from me, the role kept increasing and finally reached a proportion that you now see in the film !! That courtroom punch of a convicted person not being convicted twice for the same crime became the highlight of the film and all ended up feeling good about the success of the film !!

A few more films were made by T Rama Rao and me and then, time and circumstance distanced us. He was in today with his family and grandchildren to pay an informal social visit. That in short was the story behind the story. But in our many informal meetings he told me of a very traditional exercise which I still remember when I see him. India still is ridden with the concept of arranged marriages and they are most prevalent even today in most parts of the country. When the wife is chosen by the elders of the family, one aspect they see, among many other, is the height of the lady. This in certain sections of our society, and in the region that T Rama Rao comes from – Andhra Pradesh, they say that when the wife stands facing the husband, her ‘sindhoor’, or the red ritualistic color that married women wear on the partings of their hair as a sign of being a ‘suhaagan’ – blessed that her husband is alive – should touch the adams apple of the male, when they are close to each other. That they say is the ideal height for the married partner !!

( I now see a flurry of married ladies among our Ef, testing this ritual out with their loved ones !! )

The midnight gong from my ornate and musical clock is about to strike .. and I must to bed .. and hope and pray for a more pleasant night … I hope yours is too ..

Love …

Amitabh Bachchan

Everyone home today, the girls and the boys and when that happens

2011-12-26T03:56:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 25/26 , 2011 Sun/Mon 1 : 09 AM

Everyone home today, the girls and the boys and when that happens it signals much happiness and joy. The time is leisured and free, it signifies a laid back morning and timings go a bit out of routine, but the intensity of our presence in each other remains steadfast and strong. That is how it should be. The dinner table conversation veers from the usual to the the more devoted. Film and film criticism occupies most of the conversation. The passing trends of cinema in India through the decades, their influences and their years of trial and trend. The era of subtlety seems to vanish almost too suddenly and the younger generation that argues against it claims that in times of today it is the effectiveness of what can be shown in your face that perhaps is gaining greater respect – at the box office – than many other efforts ! May be that becomes a trend in most vocations today – politics, business, art … unless it is drummed in it does not sadly get recognition or presence.

So the overt the obvious is no longer the bad boy of the community. We spend a great deal more money for a great deal shorter existence in the minds of our patrons, and that if achieved, is satisfactory and rewarding. It remains a mystery that the refrains of the interlude music in songs from films of the 50′s and 60′s continue to be remembered more appropriately than an entire song from the times of today. Words and meanings of the lyrics of times gone by still haunt our memory often , not so now. There is an attempt to invade the mind with relentless visions for the period of hours in running of a film, but not giving them material to carry home, after. I wonder if that is what prevails in most other facets of our lives too. The politicians of the time of Nehru, were known by name and face and portfolio, not so now. They either change too rapidly, or do not gather attention at all. It does not perhaps matter to this generation at all, whether it should. Ask a youngster who the Minister for a particular ministry is and in all probability they would wonder with a reverse question – ‘how does it matter to me’ or ‘ am i supposed to know this and why ‘ ??

Its a question of perception and value. Repeated defeated perceptions, have brought the value down and into a range where its significance has no matter or meaning for them. That could be good and could be bad as well in their opinion. They may have other interests which to them are of consequence. How on earth can we take that away from them. This is a free society, with freedom of thought and speech and expression – at least on sacred constitutional paper. It may at worst form their defense in legalese, but beyond that would remain in the minds of the young and how they would want to inhabit it. We who have lived most of our impressionable period of existence, may keep in thought what we surrounded ourselves with. But to expect more from it would require a most concerted effort to take on as it were the forces that defy it …

Spare moments of the day are still spent with the ‘little one’. Strange to find ourselves just staring at a little bundle that lies there eyes shut in deep slumber, for extended periods of time. Peculiar is it not, almost in disbelief of what lies before our eyes. And even though it does not move or make itself with sound, we watch cautiously and with great intensity at its form lying there amongst its own wonderful dreams. I cannot remember such moments of indulgence in any other time or period. Somewhere the blood connect, the realisation of giving and creating another life, shall never be able to leave us … never !!

The Sunday swell was somewhat uncontrollable today. They went past the gates in a huge rush of emotion. The rear pushed with such pressure that the front could not bear the strain gave in and moved in the only direction possible – forward towards me ..

Security did its best but with hundreds of humanity pushing in one direction even the most intricate security would give in. The solution of course was for me to disappear from the scene. I did and so did the crowds ! Thankfully ! It was the closest they have been to me on such days and it is now perhaps time to look into methods of how they could be controlled, without many losing clothing, footwear and mobile phones !!

Be well and in good cheer .. Christmas comes but once a year !

Amitabh Bachchan

Merry Christmas to all the Ef

2011-12-26T03:47:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 24/25 , 2011 Sat/ Sun 12 : 31 AM

Merry Christmas to all the Ef .. happiness and joy fulness and prosperous times and laughter and all the joys of life .. its the time to be merry and out on the streets with song and dance .. and in the midnight in prayer at the midnight mass, so solemn and pure and a giver of so much warmth and stability in out otherwise impersonal lives .. May the Lord bless all of you and give you all that you need and desire .. along with the sumptuous Christmas cake !!

And its Anu’s birthday tody and we all wish her a most wonderful and happy one … with love from all !!!

And birthday greetings to Irfan Nuyani .. so devoted and kind always .. !!

And thank you’s to Kishore and Deepak Taunk, who dropped by to see me shoot for the Dabboo Ratnani calendar at Aurus, and all the goodies they so generously gave me for myself and the ‘little one’ .. enjoy your stay in India and keep safe and well ..

Contemplating before the shoot starts. This is not the calendar picture – its something else and quite original and a bit wild. But I thought I would whet the appetite so to say, till the calendar is out .. ha ha ..

And then for some more of Shanouk -

That is him with his own pup .. had him mated a year ago and he sired 12 pups .. ahem ..!! he did not seem too concerned with his progeny and we had to give them all away because as per the protocol on dog breeding, the male gets the option of one and the female gets all the rest .. so when his interest waned on the pup that you see we sent it back to the Mother ..

In the sea at Juhu beach .. not too happy with the water it seems .. and yes had to leash him before he decided to swim out to Dubai – its just across the Arabian Sea as you may well know .. !!!

And all the cat lovers .. this is Shanouk at his flirtatious best at Jalsa .. I think these were some of his very first reactions to the feline species, realizing soon enough that they were not to be given too much affection. He now chases them as soon as he is set free all over the place, until they seek higher plains, like the roof of the cars, planters and really narrow corners, where they know this rather large tormentor shall never be able to get even his tail through !! Cats are smart !! – Daisy, Rochelle, Renate shaking their heads vigorously in approval .. !!!

But on the lawns Shanouk is a possessed animal .. wildly chasing that plastic bottle – his pet play station ! I shall do some of those on another day .. he looks frighteningly possessed and in great action !!

But back to Christmas and Kolkata and the best place to be in around that time of the year ! Kolkata is a whole new world during this time. The city that was the first Capital of the country under the British Raj, filled with Christian culture and rituals. The large community of Anglo-Indians bringing and celebrating with that same vigor and festiveness that marked the end of the year. What an atmosphere it was in the early 60′s when I had just migrated to this wonder city in search of a future and a job. The clubs and the restaurants and the Hotel locations – the Grand, and the Golden Slipper, Nizams, Trinca’s, Moulin Rouge, Mogambo, Blue Fox, Flurry’s and Princes inside the Grand … ah ! Such a variety … and a mandatory visit to all of them in one night, since they were all situated within a few feet of each other on that glorious Park Street … !! What times they were. Surviving on a salary of Rs 500/- a month and never a moment of regret on the amount .. and the music and the bands and the orchestra … most of them now migrated to Mumbai and working in film music .. a treat and a slice of La Dolche Vita … almost !!

Those days shall never return again. There have been many visits to the city in recent times, the city and its vibrancy remains the same, but that something, of those times is missing ! It still is a unique place, nothing quite like that anywhere. The people the masses and their appreciation for the arts and crafts, their passion for cinema and everything to do with culture and the classic, their craze for football much much before the Champions League and the Barkley’s of the soccer world invaded our psyche through television, Eden Gardens and the cricket, a paradise for all the cricketers of the world, the season in October and Puja for Durga and the devotions around it … all now fond memories of the past never to return again … sad but true !!

I want to watch a film tonight .. it is late and I know I shall invite anger and wrath of the Ef, but I shall be careful .. shall be in bed .. and when it gets too long shall switch off and sleep ..

Good night dearest ones .. may this fresh day bring fresh thoughts of happiness in your lives .. and of course to bring all within the circle of our lovely intimate little world that we have created ..

Love

Amitabh Bachchan

Merry Christmas and a very happy New year, to all my Ef

2011-12-26T03:38:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 23/24 , 2011 Fri/Sat 2 : 15 AM

Merry Christmas and a very happy New year, to all my Ef and to those that consider becoming the Ef .. love happiness peace and tranquility in all your lives .. remain well and healthy and i good care ..

As the year draws near thoughts start to fall in place about what we did, said and believed through out 2011. the work done, the reactions absorbed, the lessons learnt and the deeds done. Were they all in place ? Did we falter anywhere, stumble and fall, hurt ourselves and others too .. and if we did was there enough reason to do so. A whole gamut of questions. We shall never be able to answer them by ourselves ever, but we shall be able to reflect on it and perhaps ponder on its value.

For me personally, I live and prosper in the thought of my well wishers – the EF and the FmXt, and to be with pride at having created and built a platform where none of us knew each other when we started, but have now reached a stage where we not just know, we linger and build on those relations. may God bless our small little world and the families it has built for all of us …

As requested a few more with Shanouk ! there are some earlier ones too when he was a kid and when he had not discovered that the cats were not his friends .. he still doesn’t, but the attitude has undergone a sea change !!

I must retire ..

Good night …

Amitabh Bachchan

The day starts with this wonder canine, Shanouk my pet Piranna Dane on the lawns of Prateeksha

2011-12-26T03:33:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 22/23, 2011 Thu/Fri 1 : 47 AM

The day starts with this wonder canine, Shanouk my pet Piranna Dane on the lawns of Prateeksha ! Its his photo shoot today for a premier magazine cover, that is published and edited by the energetic Farzana Contractor, wife of that great columnist, Contractor who went by his non de plume, BusyBee. He was full of wit and humor and a great asset to the journalistic world of the country.

Shanouk, came in as a birthday gift for Abhishek by some dear friends, knowing his love for pets and in particular dogs. He was small and cute and lost, taken away from his breed of family from a renowned breeder in Pune. he would wander about the house in search of his mother and siblings and we tried to get him to be as comfortable as possible. For long he slept with Abhishek in his bedroom and at times on his bed, until, as he grew in strength, started pushing Abhishek out of bed. But he grew up with great attitude. Stubborn and self opinionated and a bit arrogant. But always most loving to the family. In the evenings he will insist on sitting by us as we park ourselves in the patio, at times occupying the space on the sofa next to us and refusing to leave when called. At times when he feels he is getting ignored he shall vacate the area himself and shall not budge until the lights are put out and he realizes that each of us have left the region and gone to sleep. He shall then crawl back to his independent bed and spend the night in the kitchen.

As I said earlier he was feeling ignored ever since the baby came, but is now getting back to normal as attention is given to him as well. Such attitudes pets have. And I learnt a lot more from Farzana during the course of our short conversation. Don’t forget to pick up the magazine when it comes out. I shall keep you informed.

In the foliage at the back of the vast greens that you see is a tree – the gulmohar ! The one with the bright orange flowers that bloom just before the onset of the monsoons and mostly in the heat of the summer. Natures compensation to make up for the oppressive weather. There lies one of our most favorite pets Bitto, a gorgeous mix between a Chow Chow and a Labrador. Size of the Labrador, skin as well, but with the chow chow black tongue – unique !! She died and left us all very sad, so we buried her in the garden and planted this tree above her. Leaves us with her presence, each summer when the flowers bloom !!

Pets are such a joy and a great leveler in every family. No matter what the circumstances, they always bring a smile and a feeling of happiness to all …

May they continue to do so to each one of you too ..

Good night

Amitabh Bachchan

My Mothers death Anniversary today, the 21 st of December

2011-12-22T08:16:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 21, 2011 Wed 11 : 56 PM

My Mothers death Anniversary today, the 21 st of December … she breathes each day within us, blesses us from her abode, guides and teaches us each day what it meant to be under her wing and care, strengthens us with her will and her nerve of never ever giving up. Even in the greatest of disappointments her warmth and courage instilled hope and life in our despondent conditions. I wonder where she got it from ? She lost her own Mother when she was just a few weeks old .. who gave her this spirit and teaching ? Wherefrom did she imbibe what she gave to us, and how did she ever discover that what she gave was right !!

We don’t call them Mother’s for nothing !!

And to day another Award for me – the Maharashtrian of the Year, a Maanbindu, from no less a person than the President of the Country, the respected and honorable Shrimati Pratibha Patil. So grateful and humbled. The Award given by the very popular Marathi paper ‘Lokmat’. Dilip Saheb, Dilip Kumar gets one too for his life achievements, and there are many other prominent Maharashtrian achievers in the field of Science, Literature, Social Service, Art, Politics that get rewarded.

I have spent 3/4ths of my life in this city of Mumbai, Maharashtra – 42 years ! And all that I have received in life apart from my parents and my education have come to me from this golden land. Name, fame, honor, recognition, home and family, children and children of children, everything indebted to the city and state for making me whatever I am today ! My obeisance to this great city and its people, for giving me all that I have with me today.

I feel honored too when the media quotes what I express on this post. They carry with prominence what my thoughts are and I feel that what I share with my Ef gets recognized by them as well. This is humbling.

But as I said the day has been in the thoughts of my Mother. She loved charity, and so in the morning, the very needy leprosy home that we have been attached with, was asked what they needed most, and once said, it was provided to them after the blessings of my Mother were taken. The joy of giving can never be replaced by any other joy. The satisfaction of providing is as close to fulfillment of prayer as any other.

My visits to the same hospital where she breathed her last, today, bring back memories and moments spent in grief and despair to see her struggling body fight till the very end. My visits are for other relatives in distress, but I cannot but sense the time in the morning when we all stood helpless in front of the varied machines that worked endlessly assisted by a team of sincere doctors hovering over her limp and stricken body, in an attempt to revive her…..

Too much to go back to .. I must come away from that visual, close my eyes and numb my senses ..

Let us talk and think of the other .. the good night that awaits us ..

Love and more ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan loves to call his granddaughter 'Bitiya'

2011-12-21T02:46:00.000-08:00

Amitabh Bachchan loves to call his granddaughter 'Bitiya'

Mumbai: The happy couple Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan are very much busy in pampering the tiny tot. Grandfather Amitabh Bachchan, as the name has yet not been finalised, loves to call his granddaughter 'Bitiya'.

Bollywood's megastar spends his most of the time playing with 'Beti B'. As per the sources, Big B said that initially when the little one was born she resembled Aishwarya but now she looks like her dad Abhishek Bachchan.

Name still has not been decided for the Bollywood's most awaited baby and the Bachchan family is not in any hurry.

Just when there is an indication of peace and stillness

2011-12-21T02:25:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 20/21 , 2011 Tue/Wed 1 : 59 AM

Just when there is an indication of peace and stillness, of carefree thought, of the end of another day without incident, of having the feel of a burden that may have shifted gently without intimation on another shoulder or destination, of not dreading that which can be of disturbing countenance … is when you get that midnight call … silent first and soft in its tone, until it compels you to respond to it .. and then befalls that silence of a stunned and shocked mind, which wants not to listen what is being said, but must .. and then it is too late to interject or allow the senses to dissolve whatever forms in its unpleasant state ..

Life is the greatest leveler of all. Some divine force works from I know not where and fixes time dates opinions senses. They are inconsequential it seems, but are of great presence – unexplained, unexplored, unknown ! We call it nature at times, to give it a polite nomenclature, but we all believe somewhat abstractly, that perhaps that unknown force is indeed prevalent and strong, for much of what one sees and feels unfolding itself in front of us, is beyond mans explanation – at times beyond woman’s too !

How did these complexities of our existence develop and how did they all come together in one large atmosphere, isolated from all else in the space we now call the Universe, is where and how humankind found the answers in an unwritten belief and created incidents and thoughts and ideals which got identified in an easy and understandable text – that of a supernatural being, which had the intelligence and the math to present to us the philosophical answers to all our questions. And wherever the answers were unknown, the perfect ploy was brought into place and being – force, of the unknown !

I know not why I dwell on this again. Maybe I need answers where there are none. Or maybe my desire to quell certain misgivings force me to think thus. I am troubled often by my incompetence of not being able to surmise the why’s and the wherefore’s of the world. At times I feel it could be good that I do not. Better to exist in that space without care, than to invite comment and argument and explanation. But we are argumentative by nature … ha ha ha … a borrowed expression from the ‘Argumentative Indian’ the book by Amartya Sen and more, the introduction of ‘nature’ again. Nature has found its rightful place in all our suppositions. When in doubt, shout .. they say of our daily compulsions which need solution. But what of nature ?? There is no clever adage to this … how about … ‘when in questioned displeasure, nature’ … naah .. does not rhyme, does not do anything .. so what ? do we just remain with the shouting and the doubting … such a monotonous existence !!

Ok … leave it .. it shall have a life of its own and then .. perish in its own stew !

Shirish Kunder who works with me in his next film tentatively titled ‘Common Man’ and his wife the outrageously funny Farah Khan move in to a new home and warm it up with a celebration on a sumptuous triplex apartment, pool and all ..

Just the joy of being in the company of the young is invigorating. I am but a misfit in there. the average age is 24 and I am into my 70. Incongruous, but experience all the same for me ; to feel the strength and the vigor and the attitude of the next. It is an air of carefreeness, of knowing what is right and what needs to be done to right it. I marvel at this air, this cosmos that hums with energy about me. I am out of place I know. I should be away and gone, but I stay longer than what I had imagined I would. Even the hostess reminds of it !! But it is such a joy to see and feel the expectation that they emit and above all, the incredible confidence of being sure to achieve, what they have envisaged to be theirs at any cost.

They are the young. They are the future. They are the leaders of tomorrow. And they know it ! That is what is the mostest !!

And then after all the spiel I come across a media spill on Brand Equity and this is what it throws up -

A 70 year old toping the Brand wagon against stratospheric icons like Sachin, Dhoni and SRK, Aamir …

Three Bachchans in the list of 10 ..

Time to say good night

Amitabh Bachchan

TAAI award for ‘India’s Best Tourism Deppt Amongst All States for Year 201

2011-12-20T03:28:00.000-08:00

those are the two awards that I got for BigStar .. clutching them close to me … !!

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 19/20, 2011 Mon/Tue 12 : 26 AM

And the Sunday well wishers .. waiting from the early hours and then finally as the light fails surging forward through the gates .. wonder if in all this you can spot some Ef .. ah ! had to rescue them out .. cooled them off, some soft drinks some pictures and then they went off .. emotional moment !!

the final trophy given by Tina Bhabhi, Tina Ambani and Dhanush of ‘Kolaveri ..

and that is Dhanush in an impromptu Kolaveri sung live for me, with changed words .. so touched .. !!

Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Ranbir .. always a joy to be with them … actually Ranbir has to come over for a dinner date with me and I have not been able to call him over .. shall shortly !!

Sir,

You will be glad to know that Gujarat Tourism won the prestigious annual TAAI award for ‘India’s Best Tourism Deppt Amongst All States for Year 2011′ from Union Tourism Minister Subhodh Kant Sahai in Mumbai on saturday.Gujarat scored over other nominees Kerala and MP for this annual award.Gujarat tourism growth is 14 percent, twice that of national growth rate.

This has been possible because of our campaign ‘ Khushboo Gujarat Ki’. Your contribution to the success story , is immense. Many thanks to you.

Now that was from the Secretary Tourism Gujarat and it needs to be mentioned here that this is some achievement. Despite all the baseless criticism that came my way – that I was being paid large sums of money, that this was in lieu of favors done for me by the Gujarat Government and on and on and on .. But .. the system that was most vociferous in their tirade were the ones that now acknowledge it and offer awards in person.

In life as in many other aspects it is important to do your job well and sincerely. The rest follows on its own. Silence in such circumstances was never so loud and shall always be, come what may.

I wish to extend my apologies first for not posting this in the morning as promised. Sudden pressures of work came along and that prevented me, but I am here now and am excited that I connect well today.

I was wondering if you could spot Renate and the Ef gang in the mass of crowd .. really not recommended that they do this … it does get a bit wild at times .. But all the same it was great to be with them again and spend a few minutes cooling off from the pushing and shoving that was going on by the gate !!

I was on my Twitter account earlier in the evening and was contemplating on various issues that were erupting in my mind about civility, up bringing, cultured behavior and how they define the attitude and character of the human. Of rationality and integrity and why if you cannot possess them then those that do shall always find themselves out of place. For them it would not make any difference – they were never going to know refinement. But its always those that know that suffer, and bear. Maybe that too is individual destiny.

So for those that are not on my Twitter account may I request you to be there, so you could connect at times with what may have transpired earlier. And … it would raise the bar as far as the number of followers was concerned ! Would be great if that went up exponentially … we are at 1.77 million odd, need to propel it further.

Do you think I might expect that from you ??!!

Good night then and sleep well ..

Amitabh Bachchan

There has been greater recognition today again at another Awards night

2011-12-20T03:11:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 18/19 , 2011 Sun /Mon 1 : 24 AM

There has been greater recognition today again at another Awards night. There has been the overflowing love and affection of the Sunday fans at Jalsa. There has been another emotional meet with the Ef, led by Renate at the gates of the Sunday fans, crushed, pushed, loss of shoes and a mobile .. but the joy of meeting up with them .. There has been Dhanush singing live for me ‘kolaveri di .. ‘ at the Awards but with different words to suit the occasion. There has been the meetings with colleagues of importance and great standing.

And all of this is in pictures to justify which due to the paucity of time I am unable to post tonight. But I shall tomorrow at the first sounds of the traffic !!

I must get to bed and to the gym tomorrow morning. The body lacks energy and it needs the tread mill, the weights, the breathing .. and more !

So for tonight I shall say a warm ending .. but with the promise of being with all of you again in the morning hour ..

Love to all …

Amitabh Bachchan

After the awards and the special inspiration derived from a wonderful evening,

2011-12-20T03:10:00.001-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 17/18 , 2011 Sat/ Sun 1 : 11 AM

After the awards and the special inspiration derived from a wonderful evening, a late night was spent in bed at Sopaan and reminiscing the days spent in the Delhi winters, either back from Sherwood or at University. Those early morning sprints from my gate to catch the Univ Special at Teen Murti, the residence of the Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, a round about bearing statues of the soldiers that fought and sacrificed their lives for the country … and on to South Avenue, the MP quarters where we were first resident of. 77 was the number. Those wonder days of coming to the Capital from small town Allahabad and everything looking so large and magnificent. The rush from our 77 to the main avenue each time Pandit ji ( Jawaharlal Nehru ) drove past to office and then back. Sitting there in a large black limousine, pilot in front, and in pensive mood, a hand up by his face in deep thought. the College days and the freedom of doing what one wanted. The visits to adjoining colleges and canteens, the cricket grounds, the back alleys of the bazaar behind our campus, the lunch hour cucumber delicacies with salt and pepper, our own canteen and the non stop table tennis that followed within.

The excursions with Mother to the Bengali Market for the most delicious ‘chaat’ in the world and the sweet meats. The ‘parathe wali gali’ in Chandni Chowk, the mad drives during College hours with our gang of class bunkers to the excavations and the ruins beyond Kutub Minar, Tughlakabad. The winter sun in the afternoon, the incredible smell of the ‘har shringar’ flower, white with orange stems and the cherry blossoms in the back yard of our lawn. The fire place by the night, ghost stories over new year and just the coming together of family and friends wrapped around in warm blankets by the burning embers !

And then without much fuss or delay the summer season would be upon us with its unbearable heat and high temperatures. The unaffordable airconditioning giving place to the ‘khus’ curtains on the doors, sprinkled with water at short intervals, or a block of ice placed in front of a table fan to cool off the nights. The hot breezes in the day – the ‘loo’ – beating down upon us and the elders warning us against stepping out for the fear of sunstroke. Those first drops of rain after an eternity and the warmth of the earth coming out in vapors, sleeping out in the open in the lawn, cooled now by the rains, and then to be woken up suddenly by that ‘baarish’ at night and all of us clambering on to the veranda along with our beds and bedding !

Such adventure, such simplicity, such trust … all gone now. We slept at night with our doors and windows open, the gates never shut, even when we were out in the lawn or on the roof top, for those were the regions that were the coolest. No security no guards, just a carefree life …

And now just before I have come up to write to you, each door checked and double checked, each window closed, locks and security personnel alerted, Shanouk in vantage post, phones and alarms by the side, incessant noise on the streets of traffic and people. There in Allahabad at night as you slept in the open, the only noise that came were from the jackals, the ‘siyaar’ in the distance, an indicator of how wild the region was. To express the solitude and quiet of the night, the oft used expression to signify the moment was – “arre wahan toh raat koh siyaar bolte hain ” - all that you hear at night at that place are the calls of the jackals.

There was no fear of the night. For us youngsters it was a nightmare to be asked whilst sitting in the lawn to go into the house and put off a light that had been left on by mistake, and the apprehension it used to cause within us. Going was alright, it was the coming back after the light had been put out that was scary.

The night does this to us. The darkness of nature brings the elements of fear. The unseen at night has a story of its own, real perhaps at times but on most occasions built by humans in their minds. Apart from the jackals the only other sound that came was the sound of the ‘danda’ the large stick being slammed on the road by the night watchmen that kept awake on the streets calling out to each other on adjoining streets – ” Jaagte Raho ” .. keep awake !!

It is almost 2 am as I write and were this to be those times, I would have perhaps diligently followed what was being announced on the road, but I do share with my Ef their concern when I am up late. What can one do ? As soon as I open the Word Process to jot down my thoughts to my Blog, I am the widest awake !!

My love to you and my prayers and my wishes and my gratitude for all that you mean to me ..

Amitabh Bachchan

CNNiBN Indian of the Year Awards 2011 Big B

2011-12-17T03:04:00.000-08:00

Sopaan , New Delhi Dec 16/17, 2011 Fri/Sat 1 : 51 AM

Anna Hazare greets me with his humble self, listened in by Dr Kurrien … what company I enjoy !!

The lovely Shweta and I enjoy a moment together .. Fathers and daughters have a special link do they not .. they at times even look so much alike !!

Ronjan Sodhi, world champion in trap shooting .. sharing a laugh because he confided his wife never accompanies him to the various award functions he goes to but came to this one when she heard I was going to be there. We laugh because when I walked up to meet his wife, which he had gently suggested on stage that I must, she had disappeared to the wash room .. I did though meet up with her as I departed, pushing my way through the crowds that converged soon after …

the fiery women from Manipur, the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) who resist the presence of the gun by the Army battalions there on duty and the guns of the insurgents in the state …

… and the ‘eloquent’ Lalu Prasad Yadav, seated next to me, responds to Anna on stage on his take on who the Indian of the Year should be ..

Its been a glorious night at the CNNiBN Indian of the Year Awards. Yes we won, the team KBC and yours truly, but what a galaxy of great stalwarts of the country coming together on one platform and giving an inspiration and strength of a lifetime to viewers and the country.

One cannot describe what it feels like to be standing side by side with Mamta Banerji, Chief Minister of West Bengal, a colleague of mine in the Parliament when I was there and who single handedly, despite being a woman defeated the mighty Communist power in the State after over 30 years of their rule ; Dr Kurrien, that indefatigable entrepreneur who started the milk revolution in the country, making it the largest in the world ; Anna Hazare and his social movement to rid the country of corruption ; the fiery gun survivor campaigner from Manipur ; sportsmen of the greatest merit – Dhoni, Yuvraj, Ronjan Singh Sodhi the world champion in shooting ; army navy and air force Generals who fought and won great wars for the country against Pakistan and in the liberation of BanglaDesh ; stalwarts in business Mr Shanghvi ; Yesudas that singer with the divine voice and with all of them the equally prominent presenters and guests …

An evening filled with a very strong emotion, a concern and a wish to be able to do something for the country after seeing and hearing the impassioned voices from all these very committed personalities.

When you look back at what you have contributed and compare it with what the co winners tonight did, you cannot but feel a sense of guilt, when efforts are compared. It makes one conscious of the fact that these great people sacrificed their self in the honor and integrity of the country. They did not care for themselves, they cared for the nation and their sacrifices for it cannot but remain inspirational.

Its been a warm night within … in thought and temperament, but a cold Delhi winter outside. Actually not cold cold, but a tolerable cold ..

Be safe, be warm and be with me in love …

Amitabh Bachchan

Launch the polio campaign for UNICEF Big B

2011-12-17T02:53:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 15/16 , 2011 Thu/Fri 2 : 41 AM

Ok … so its late .. 2 : 41 in the morning … so what ?? Any time is good time for the Blog and the Ef. Pushed to the wall with work. Had to submit an article for the Outlook magazine and since tomorrow morning was the deadline – they always have deadlines – I needed to write it tonight. The things one has to do for media !!

So I dressed up in my smartest suit I could pick up in the early hours of the morning after the gyming and went across to the Novotel Hotel, by the sea, a stones throw away from Jalsa, to launch the polio campaign for UNICEF. A most fulfilling morning it was, because each speaker from the Government to the officials at WHO and Unicef were all praise for my efforts at bringing polio to a most respectable level in the country through our campaigns. This year we have not had any reported cases of polio and there has been only one case in West Bengal. The generally vulnerable states have been UP and Bihar and there were none from there, which is some achievement. There is an expectation that by the February of next year India shall be completely free from Polio. Yeaaaaaahhhh !!

At last something that I did worked out fine !!

CNN-IBN has nominated me for the Indian of the Year in the Entertainment segment and I shall be travelling there tomorrow for it. Who knows, I may win !! Sorry about that … am in a sleep deprived, over worked syndrome mood and it generally ends up by being funny or attempting to be funny. My attempts so far have not even been considered to be such ..

Hey its actually getting a bit chilly in here .. I mean Mumbai … feel it in the air !! Hmmm .. wonder what Delhi would be like then … freezing !! Love Delhi in winter .. the air the atmosphere the flowers the smell of potent coffee in the lobby of Hotels and restaurants … warm clothes, scarves and woolies … and then one wonders in dismay .. what of those that live off the streets and shiver in front of homemade fires on the street from the trash !! Sad state ! … No more then of this .. one must slumber well or else ..

But not before you get to see some of me in the morning of today .

Good night and may god bless all of you ..

Amitabh Bachchan

On Amitabh and my admiration

2011-12-17T02:48:00.000-08:00

On Amitabh and my admiration

My Dear Amitabh:

With tears of pride in her eyes Saira handed over the print out of your eloquent tribute to my work in your blog. I read it once, then again and again.

As you yourself would be keenly aware, we actors are completely oblivious of ourselves and our surroundings while we perform and, even when we watch our work in the rushes shown to us, our senses and vision are trained to detect shortcomings more than accomplishments. That’s the only way we know to improve and render performances that come close to our own satisfaction. And it is always the audience who have the absolute right to acclaim or reject our work, however hard we may have worked to achieve perfection and excellence.

I am certainly privileged to know from your affectionate compliments that someone as knowledgeable and competent as you has liked my work. Yes, now that you have reminded me, I can recall the scenes that brought us together before the cameras for Shakti. I should say the respect and admiration are mutual. Not just Shakti, your work in several films I have watched has been world class and inimitable. In recent times I can remember Black and, if I remember right, Saira and I were at a loss for words at the premiere night, after the curtain came down, to express our myriad feelings of admiration for your outstanding performance. It is a pity the film missed the Oscar nomination. If any Indian actor, in my personal opinion, deserves the world’s most coveted award, it is you. I have heard so much about Paa which we didn’t catch up with. You know how Saira is—she never could see me die in my films and she could not muster the courage to see your death scene in Paa.

Thank you, Amitabh, for your warm love and good wishes. May God keep you, Jaya and your family happy always.

DK Blog

There are actors and there are actors and there is Dilip Kumar, Dilip Saheb

2011-12-17T02:45:00.000-08:00

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 14/15, 2011 Wed/Thu 12 : 32 AM

There are actors and there are actors and there is Dilip Kumar, Dilip Saheb, Yusuf Khan ! From the moment I saw him in film I knew he was the ultimate inspiration for me. Today he posts a generous comment on me on his Twitter account, and I have nothing more to say but this – I do not care for any comment from any critic, colleague. I do not care for any opinion from anyone. This below is the the most endearing and lasting endorsement that any actor could receive. I feel today after 42 years in the Industry, that there is a fulfillment of thought and value. Nothing greater could have been asked for, nor received. I believed in a man who to me represented the ultimate. He was he is and he shall always be, The Dilip Kumar ..

On Amitabh and my admiration

My Dear Amitabh:

With tears of pride in her eyes Saira handed over the print out of your eloquent tribute to my work in your blog. I read it once, then again and again.

As you yourself would be keenly aware, we actors are completely oblivious of ourselves and our surroundings while we perform and, even when we watch our work in the rushes shown to us, our senses and vision are trained to detect shortcomings more than accomplishments. That’s the only way we know to improve and render performances that come close to our own satisfaction. And it is always the audience who have the absolute right to acclaim or reject our work, however hard we may have worked to achieve perfection and excellence.

I am certainly privileged to know from your affectionate compliments that someone as knowledgeable and competent as you has liked my work. Yes, now that you have reminded me, I can recall the scenes that brought us together before the cameras for Shakti. I should say the respect and admiration are mutual. Not just Shakti, your work in several films I have watched has been world class and inimitable. In recent times I can remember Black and, if I remember right, Saira and I were at a loss for words at the premiere night, after the curtain came down, to express our myriad feelings of admiration for your outstanding performance. It is a pity the film missed the Oscar nomination. If any Indian actor, in my personal opinion, deserves the world’s most coveted award, it is you. I have heard so much about Paa which we didn’t catch up with. You know how Saira is—she never could see me die in my films and she could not muster the courage to see your death scene in Paa.

Thank you, Amitabh, for your warm love and good wishes. May God keep you, Jaya and your family happy always.

Amitabh Bachchan