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| Amitabh Bachhan with wife Jaya Bachchan at the wedding ceremony of Sahara India Pariwar chief Subrata Rai's neice at Sahara Shaher in Lucknow |
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Mahi
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Amitabh with wife Jaya Bachchan at Subrata Roy's niece wedding
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Mahi
The only shot of me on the tractor … its me there in the drivers seat in white BigB Blogs News
Prateeksha , Mumbai Nov 24 , 2010 Thu 11 : 47 PM
The only shot of me on the tractor … its me there in the drivers seat in white !! And the land that I till .. soo enthusiastic and loving every moment of it ..
Yes I am back home and will converse again tomorrow ..
Love you
Amitabh Bachchan
There is something about owning your own land BigB Blogs News
--Mahi
There is something about owning your own land BigB Blogs News
There is something about owning your own land BigB Blogs News
Terminal T3, New Delhi Airport Nov 24, 2010 Wed 5 : 32 PM
There is something about owning your own land … there is something about feeling the earth underneath your feet .. there is something about tilling the land with your own hands, sowing the seeds, filling in the fertiliser and then waiting for it to flourish and grow … and then to feel the grain as it slips through the palm of your hands. There is something about touching the water that flows out of the tube well on your property, to feel the force with which it gushes out and to see it travel through the vast pieces of the agricultured land, providing that much needed succor for a gainful crop.
The entire morning has been spent in farm environs on the outskirts of the city of Lucknow and my first visit to the land that we had bought recently. Its nothing large and expansive - there are restrictions to how much land an individual can hold - but it is our registered land and there is a wonderful feel to it. At the moment its produce is wheat grain and paddy rice, and the land is being tilled to sow the seeds for the grain. Automatic machinery has taken over manual facilities, at least in this part of the region and very efficient equipment now operates most of the work. I got on to the tractor that tills the land and levels it too in one swift move, a 'rotater' of sorts, or a 'leveller' in local farm language. I made a couple of rounds on my own and there was such a wonderful feeling of actually having worked on the land and contributed just that little bit. There are of course the professional farmers on the land that work for us, get us the produce and share the spoils and it was such a joy to spend time with them and learn from them all the details.
The seed is given to us from the Seed Corporation of the Government of the State, we grow it and sell it back to them. There is a machine that carries two large trays at its rear, much like a tractor. The two trenches carry the seed and the fertiliser. The seed wheat in color, the fertiliser a more reddish grain. The fertiliser needs to be sown first an inch below the point where the seed is dropped and this machine does all that as it moves ahead covering the area that is being treated.
Such a joy to be among the people that work there and to spend time gaining knowledge and putting in my own effort. News spreads fast in the interiors too - they are all connected through mobile phones, an indicator of how times are changing in the country, and why not. A small crowd is beginning to collect on and off the roads leading up to the boundary and yes when can you ever be far away from the media ! They ask me what I am doing here and I tell them I came to till my land ! I look forward to the news tomorrow of what they would make of this !
Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, far away from the traffic and speed of life, far away from high noise and pollution levels, there is such quietude and peace in the rural interiors. It must be so invigorating and uplifting for those that spend time away from the metros. I do look forward to spending more time in these climes !! God willing !!
Thank you all for your kind remembrances for Agastya's birthday. He, through me, wishes to thank you all and expresses his gratitude. I think he had a glorious day firing foam guns on to his friends and his sister in particular !!
Will be boarding now shortly for Mumbai …
Love to you and more ..
Amitabh Bachchan
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Mahi
Prakash Jha with Mr. Bachchan will shoot Aarakshan in a residential colony in Bhopal
Prakash Jha will shoot Aarakshan in a residential colony in Bhopal
If Prakash Jha's Raajneeti was big, his new film Aarakshan will be even bigger. Both the films are located in Bhopal. However, this time, Jha will shoot in a residential colony called Menal City comprising 5000 residents.
The entire colony has been taken over by Prakash Jha's unit. A tabela (dairy farm) is being built in the colony at the reported cost of Rs. 1 crore. The tabela which will later be gifted to the colony after the shooting is complete, will house dozens of buffaloes and cows which are being transported at this very moment from outside Bhopal into the city.
When contacted, Prakash Jha admits that the huge colony in Bhopal would serve as an extended set for Aarakshan.
Says the director, "I needed a certain quaint suburban look for my film with a criss-cross of clean streets and houses fronted by lawns. What was missing was a tabela. A major part of my plot unfolds on a dairy farm. So my art director, Jayant Deshmukh is building the tabela from scratch at one end of the colony."
Aarakshan with Mr. Bachchan in the lead got its title extricated from a television serial, which decided to add on the word to its original title just to cash in on hype surrounding Prakash's film.
Says the irate director, "The serial was originally called Aarmanon Ka Balidan. Suddenly I saw an Aarakshan added at the end of the serial's original title. I sent the producers a legal notice."
Jha's film is inspired by the leader of the masses Jayaprakash Narayan's movement for job reservation for under-privileged sections of society.
By Subhash K. Jha, November 24, 2010
If Prakash Jha's Raajneeti was big, his new film Aarakshan will be even bigger. Both the films are located in Bhopal. However, this time, Jha will shoot in a residential colony called Menal City comprising 5000 residents.
The entire colony has been taken over by Prakash Jha's unit. A tabela (dairy farm) is being built in the colony at the reported cost of Rs. 1 crore. The tabela which will later be gifted to the colony after the shooting is complete, will house dozens of buffaloes and cows which are being transported at this very moment from outside Bhopal into the city.
When contacted, Prakash Jha admits that the huge colony in Bhopal would serve as an extended set for Aarakshan.
Says the director, "I needed a certain quaint suburban look for my film with a criss-cross of clean streets and houses fronted by lawns. What was missing was a tabela. A major part of my plot unfolds on a dairy farm. So my art director, Jayant Deshmukh is building the tabela from scratch at one end of the colony."
Aarakshan with Mr. Bachchan in the lead got its title extricated from a television serial, which decided to add on the word to its original title just to cash in on hype surrounding Prakash's film.
Says the irate director, "The serial was originally called Aarmanon Ka Balidan. Suddenly I saw an Aarakshan added at the end of the serial's original title. I sent the producers a legal notice."
Jha's film is inspired by the leader of the masses Jayaprakash Narayan's movement for job reservation for under-privileged sections of society.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
My Blog shall be better written BigB Blogs News
My Blog shall be better written BigB Blogs News Amitabh Bachchan
Sahara Sheher , Lucknow U.P Nov 23/24 , 2010 Tue/ Wed 12 : 39 AM
At the waiting lounge at T3 in Delhi it seemed the entire city was headed for Lucknow and the wedding in the Sahara Parivar ! So many known faces all heading for the event – possibly the last wedding for a long time in their family, since everyone else’s has been done. So I was informed by SaharaShri, Subroto Roy, the Chairman and owner of this multi faceted business empire.
It darkened at 3 in the afternoon and a slight cloud above added to the haze that accompanied us as we flew in. Lucknow … the city of the Nawabs .. the great cultural heritage, the ‘tehzeeb’, the many famous eating places, the religious centers, seat of some historic educational campuses and now the capital of this most vast and politically most important state – it contributing over 80 elected seats, the largest, in Parliament for the Lok Sabha.
Sahara Shaher is a city within a city, a vast area dedicated to the housing of this business empire and its offices .. tastefully decorated and pleasing to the eye with all the efforts made in greening the entire area and at night lit up in every corner with fairy lights to give it that special dream like feel.
I visit the city and the Sheher after long and am happy to find it the same – warm welcome and hospitable to the T. Familiar known faces, broad smiled, courteous and disciplined extend their joy and happiness around us, and it feels like coming home after a longish spell.
After a few moments of formalities back in the room within the city and a desperate attempt first, to get an internet connection. The thought of not being able to reach out to the FmXt, sending me into spells of frustration and anger as the computer experts struggle to get a Mac connected to the cyber world.
They have succeeded somewhat .. but yes ‘somewhat’ would be as far as I am comfortable going with. It serves my purpose and as I complete my Blog on Word through sound advice a number of times when I lost it, I wonder if by the time I am ready all connectivity shall still be alive – this location is a little far off and most of the facilities here in this city cannot possibly be compared with those of a metro ! But … it has all it takes and is working towards it. There are massive and artistically constructed edifices and boundaried areas for just public interest. Imposing I must say. Put up by Ms Mayawati, the Chief Minister of this state of U.P, Uttar Pradesh in the memory of Dr Ambedkar, the most accomplished brain of the times and the one that drafted the first Constitution of India. Dr Ambedkar was a Dalit, a cast that was considered below the standards of social standings. Now a Dalit , Mayawati, rules this most populated State !
As the evening falls and the news on the Tv begins to narrate the days topics we come to learn of India’s tennis victory and the victory over NewZealand in the Test cricket in quite a ‘turn of the tide’ match – NZ wiped out with an innings defeat. But shockingly too we listen in to the Hockey defeat by Malaysia and the lost chances of the team to make to the final, because Pakistan our arch rivals in this vocation, have, through a dramatic win in another match. India must be feeling terrible, for they had beaten Pakistan earlier to get to where they are now. But to see themselves lose and worse to see Pakistan going through to the final by an amazing game in their half with the other teams, is a point that they shall never forget. Sad ! The Indian coach after this defeat has resigned !!
The reception in another larger area of this complex is where we are headed next and on arrival we wedge through hundreds of people to go across and wish the newly married couple. That done, I am attracted to a section of this large outlay auditorium where a group of singers and musicians perform from an isolated platform.
I sit down in front of them as a mark of respect to the musicians and am immediately transported into a most stunning performance of such exceptional quality, that I have not moved an inch of my concentration from them. They are magical. The singers in classical Indian, sing impromptu, a few lines from a religiousbhajan and dwell on it for time immemorial. There are three of them – a lady and two male accompanied by a host of musicians on the traditional – tanpura, tabla, dhol, bansuri, harmonium – and I cannot describe what an atmosphere they did bind. The only sour moment were the crowds of invitees that continuously hounded about us, paying scant respect to the performance that was unfolding in front of us !
I have always disliked and indeed hated disrespect shown to such performers. Classical music performed live needs a quiet silent concentrated atmosphere, not a bazaar buzzing with inane requests for autographs and photographs while the talented musicians display their magic and sound. How sad that we cannot appreciate their worth.
But despite all the disturbance and the commotion around, the art of the players was astounding. The lady singing important verses from the Granth Sahib of the Sikhs and taken over by the two male singers that synchronized that, with their interpretation of the bhajans of the North or mid India, Hindi speaking belt. It was just incredible how without any prior knowledge or written music the two sets of performers synchronized with each other – the one taking over from the other as soon as they finished a particular strain.
And as I heard them in concentration, I am determined now, to get some professional assistance or training to be able to imbibe this great tradition. Nothing about me mattered during the time we sat there. All that I was getting was endless moments of an art form which sadly I have no technical knowledge of. And as you get transported almost trance like into another world, the spell of the moment drives you to believe in the fruitlessness of the times and vocation. You wish solitude and singularity. To be able to develop the craft and to sing for the pleasure of oneself, one soul. The impurities dropping off, immune, distant ..
They have predicted astrologically that I shall be very close to renouncing the world .. ha ha .. do you think this is that moment ? I visit the site often metaphorically … never in reality. May be some day it happens .. maybe someday it does not .. what would I be .. an isolated image of those that renounced and existed in penury and prayer, or would it be Russian Hamlet like, surrounded perpetually by the partied crowds, but walking among them in isolated aloofness .. there but not there !! In it yet out of it !! Divorced from materialism or divorced from myself !!
And as the tempo increases and the almost orgasmic finale approaches, every hair on the body responds with it. The eyes well up and subside knowing how difficult it would be to last through this moment in such vulnerable state … and yet they keep coming, wetting the eyes, breaking the emotional barriers, that are not supposed to be associated with man.
I must have them over to the house someday. A small gathering of friends, knowledged and appreciative … and when they finish I walk up to them and tell them so. Their humility and grace embarrasses me. I must learn more. I know so little. I am nothing. Such a pity. I want to go back and learn all this again and with competence. I need to work more on myself, to improve, to gather, to assimilate …
Perhaps I shall be a fulfilled man .. or then perhaps, my Blog shall be better written .. !!
Good night all and with love
Amitabh Bachchan
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