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

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

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

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

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi … passes away !!

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

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

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

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

Amitabh Bachchan