Tuesday, February 16, 2010
In defence of Amitabh Bachchan lack of convictions
In defence of Amitabh Bachchan's lack of convictions
By Mayank Chhaya
Actor Amitabh Bachchan decision to be Gujarat's brand ambassador has provoked many to question his political convictions, with some even going to the extent of wondering whether he has any.
"When Amitabh Bachchan advertises cement or any other commodity, we are expected to buy it because he has endorsed it; yet, when he shakes hands with Narendra Modi, he expects us to read nothing into it," write Jatin Gandhi and Hartosh Singh Bal in the latest issue of Open magazine.
"The question is not whether Modi is better or worse than Rajiv (Gandhi), but whether there are convictions the man or the actor is willing to stand by."
In her column for the Daily News and Analysis (DNA) high profile social activist from Gujarat and noted classical dancer Mallika Sarabhai asked: "It has been reported that no direct fee will be paid to you for being my Brand Ambassador. So, with no monetary decision to guide you, how did you decide to say yes? Did you check on the state of the state?"
The overall tone of both these pieces is one of unconcealed derision at Bachchan's seemingly flexible political convictions and thinly disguised self-serving opportunism. This is the kind of subject where both sides can make their case quite forcefully and yet leave many unconvinced.
There is a third point of view which might explain some of the contradictions. For reasons that are hard to comprehend millions of Indians have accorded Bachchan a seriousness of purpose which he may not fully deserve or even hanker after. People confuse his celluloid persona to arrive at judgements which are far in excess of what he may be as a human being in real life. To that extent Bachchan is tested against benchmarks which are inherently unfair and unrealistic.
Bachchan is an ordinary mortal like the rest of humanity when it comes to impulses such as personal ambition and aggrandisement. His motivations, like the rest, are purely personal and familial first and then perhaps communal, national and global. People react with outrage to Bachchan's apparent lack of convictions or shifting political loyalties based on personal gain because they have formed a lofty image of his in their minds for no rational reason. And when they discover a chasm between what they perceive him to be or want him to be and what he really is, they feel let down or even betrayed.
What Bachchan really is may not even be that egregiously flawed. However, the people have given him such an exalted position, which he may not have sought himself and may not have done much to challenge either, that a slight lowering in that image causes widespread anger, indignation and disillusionment.
Why raise him on a pedestal and deify him in the first place and then rage against him if he wants to step down from time to time? It is a natural consequence of his chosen profession that he would acquire stature and influence which are often disproportionate to his actual contribution outside that profession. That is why he is able to glibly endorse a whole range of products which he may never have used in the past, nor is likely to in the future.
Because he is Amitabh Bachchan he may enjoy credibility in walks of life where he has absolutely no achievement to speak of. That reputation is as much a creation of the media as it is a product of the guileless millions who have invested unquestioning faith in him. As a purely commercial being he is merely leveraging that faith without making any distinction between endorsing a brand of cement, a bank, a car or even a state. In that sense Bachchan has perfected his personal brand as agnostic to the deeper contradictions of his endorsements.
The moment people start seeing him for what he is -- a broadly decent, unquestionably gifted, intelligent albeit occasionally obscurantist, and strongly commercially driven professional -- all the indignation, outrage and disillusionment will disappear. That he apparently has no political convictions cannot be extrapolated to mean that he has no scruples. The mercenary instinct is an inherent feature of all super celebrities globally who capitalize on their personal brand equity to sell anything -- either a product or a cause.
The only way to rationalise Bachchan's seeming lack of any permanent political loyalties or convictions is by rubbing out the aura of improbable greatness that people have come to associate with him. Once he is seen like any other hugely successful professional, whose primary motivations are necessarily selfish and feet are made of clay, his apparent lack of convictions and shifting political loyalties will appear far less incongruent, quite like they would in any other mortal extracting the most out of the opportunities that life offers.
Why was Big B miffed during Teen Patti promotion
Gurgaon, Feb 15 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan brought back memories of his 'angry young man' days when he came here Monday for the promotion of his upcoming film "Teen Patti" in a visibly upset mood -- for reasons unknown.
Clad in a white pin-stripe black suit, white shirt and pink tie, the 67-year-old, who is known for his punctuality, was two hours late for the promotion of the film.
The actor entered the event with a noticeable miffed look and picked a seat not meant for him.
When a PR agent informed him that he was to be seated in the centre where his nameplate was assigned to him, he asserted: "Just change the card".
Asked by a scribe how he maintained his innocence despite his success and whether it was courtesy the values inherited from his father, Big B who was trying to answer looked at the gawking male debutants from "Teen Patti" and said: "What are you looking at?"
He then answered: "People like these (pointing at the audience) keep me going."
The 67-year-old was at the Gold Souk mall here alongside the cast and crew of the film which included producer Ambika Hinduja, director Leena Yadav, R. Madhavan and newcomers Siddharth Kher, Dhruv Ganesh, Vaibhav Talwar and Shraddha Kapoor.
A source who was present at the event said about Amitabh's mood: "Amitji is probably angry because of the questions he was asked by a TV journalist...."
Releasing Feb 26, "Teen Patti" is about greed and deception with the background of high-stake gambling. Apart from Amitabh in the lead, it also stars Sir Ben Kingsley, Raima Sen and Saira Mohan in important roles.
The film also boasts of special appearances by Ajay Devgn, Jackie Shroff, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ranjeet, Shakti Kapoor and Tinnu Anand.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Aishwarya Rai recovering says Big B
New Delhi, Feb 15 (IANS) Aishwarya Rai, who was down with high fever and a sore throat for past four days, is now recuperating well, informs her father-in-law, veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan.
"Many have inquired after Aishwarya's health. Thank you. She repairs well and even though there are some remnants of the ailment persisting, she has decidedly improved in her condition," Amitabh posted on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com.
"We have all been with her and by her side. Abhishek has come away from his shootings and I have come away from my incessant TV interviews on 'Teen Patti'," he added.
Aishwarya was unable to talk or swallow food due to her condition, Amitabh had earlier informed.
Abhishek, who came down to be with her from his shoot for "Crooked", says that his wife is now improving.
"Aishwarya is much better. I'd like to think it's all the TLC (tender loving care)," he posted on his Twitter page. "But think it's got more to do with all your wishes and concern. And of course...Of course antibiotics lend slight support. But why let medication take all the credit when we can share it?"
The actress was shooting for Vipul Shah's "Action Replay" in Manori in northern Mumbai when she returned home with high fever.
Big B wears old watch from Chor Bazaar in Teen Patti
By Ruchika Kher
Mumbai, Feb 15 (IANS) Cheap cloth, ill-fitted trousers, checked cotton shirts and an old watch from Mumbai's Chor Bazaar - these are what designer Ameira Punvani used to create Amitabh Bachchan's look in "Teen Patti" where he plays a reclusive mathematician.
She says the megastar gave her enough freedom to experiment with his look.
"I was given the liberty to go to the biggest shops, but I instead decided to go to small markets to buy stuff. For Mr.Bachchan I created a look that had trousers, which were a mix of polyester, cheap material, around Rs.200 per metre along with checked cotton shirts," Punvani told IANS in an interview.
"That was something a college professor would wear ; so we zeroed in on that. Also, I didn't make the fit of the trousers very contemporary. I gave it a double pleated American-cut style - it makes the trousers look a little baggy," she added.
Directed by Leena Yadav, "Teen Patti" features Amitabh as a mathematician trying to evolve a thesis on probability by relating it to the Indian card game of 'teen patti'. Also starring Hollywood veteran Ben Kingsley, the film is set to release Feb 26.
Punvani says there was no compromise on the detailing.
"We paid a lot of attention on detailing. So much so that I had to get a watch for Mr.Bachchan to complete his look. He wears the best of watches, but I went to Mumbai's Chor Bazaar and got a very old watch from there that was not even automatic.
"After getting it, I was sceptical about Mr.Bachchan's reaction. I didn't know whether he would wear that watch or not. But he was completely fine with the idea," said Punvani.
The designer is all praise for Bachchan. "Mr.Bachchan is such a marvellous person. He is such a huge personality and has an aura around him that you get scared when you first meet him. But he makes you so comfortable.
"He gave me a free hand and had no problems trying the costumes. He always used to give me time despite being so busy and patiently tried out everything. He is extremely professional," she said.
Punvani says she event visited colleges for ideas to design his look.
"Mr.Bachchan is playing a reclusive, genius maths professor in the film. For his look, I first remembered how my teachers used to look. I visited various colleges to see how professors are dressed there.
"The first thing that I noticed was that all of them were very simple and they were not really bothered about their outward appearance. So for Mr.Bachchan's look I decided to go for authentic materials to make the character look close to reality," she said.
Punvani, who has in the past designed costumes for films like "Guru", "Shortkut - The Con Is On" and "Zinda" among others, was responsible for crafting the look of the entire Indian cast of the film including R. Madhavan, Dhruv Ganesh, Shraddha Kapoor, Siddharth Kher and Vaibhav Talwar among others.
Her next project is Shahid Kapoor-starrer "Badmaash Company" for Yash Raj Films.
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