Happy for those that loved my verse Not being adequate is so adverse

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh  Feb 8 , 2011    Tue  10 : 41 PM

Happy for those that loved my verse

Not being adequate is so adverse.

Yes I know you talk of genes

Ha ! jumping jacks and boiling beans !

Far I be, t’ward such greatness dears,

You give me more than deserving cheers.

These are languid, mean less, lesser words

Words and words and words and words !

No heed to them, no cause and reason

Just gluteus, bore-sum, ugly flotsam !!!

The world is small and so intriguing. What goes up comes down, what vanishes once takes a while to turnaround.

While I work today I discover my director having family links with those that had links with my family years and years on. Amarnath Jha, the Vice Chancellor of the Allahabad University at the time my father was there and with whom there was a great respectful association, has turned out to be a grand uncle of Prakash Jha my director of ‘Aarakshan’. LK Jha a distinguished and prominent bureaucrat in Delhi and with whom my parents had a close association and who’s daughter Piku Jha studied with me in the Delhi University, the petite, soft gentle and a most cultured and wonderful wonderful person, is a close relative to Prakash ji ; his aunt. Piku married Kenneth Maharaj Singh, a colleague of mine in the University from a different College and with whom I was chosen as one of the three men that were to perform in a play in Miranda House, the ‘it’ girls College !

And I just cannot believe that this conversation came about quite by accident on the sets today. Goodness what a small world and how life brings it around in the most peculiar way.

My Father’s biography and his days with the Allahabad University are full of descriptions of the time spent with Jha Saheb, as Amarnath Jha was respectfully called. His meetings on education, on life and the course of his own personal pursuits, in particular his decision to go to England to do his PhD in English Literature, all coming from Jha Saheb. And the most remarkable incident that occurred when my Father had gone to the office of Jha Saheb for his very first meeting.

Jha Saheb was not in the room and my Father was asked to wait for him at his desk. While waiting, my father noticed a few jewel stones lying on Jha Saheb’s desk and he stated playing with them when suddenly the V-C entered. In his nervousness the stones being played with, got disturbed and one such stone fell off the pile on the ground.

On noticing this Jha Saheb in his powerful and grand voice immediately blurted out to my Father :

“Pick that up Bachchan ! That is your stone !”

The stone was a blue sapphire, an astrologically very powerful stone according to Indian astrological tenets. Known to bring great profit success and wellness when worn, and also for its devastating negative effects if it does not suit your horoscope. A stone that is recommended even by the experts to be worn with great care, because of its great pro and anti qualities. It is worn as a ring on the middle finger and my Father took that stone home and wore it as a ring for the rest of his life. After his passing away we have kept it secure in the house. The incident happened in the 40’s, my Father passed away in the early 2003. Wore it so, for over 60 years every day !

I have been also recommended similar blue sapphire stone to be worn and  have been wearing it from the late 90’s till date. Stones of various kinds and value and color and intensity are a common recommendation from those that study horoscopes as a scientific profession, and this recommendation and the emerald on my small finger has been given their blessings. I do not know if the effects as they say do actually work, but the sincerity with which it is given and the purity of its intent by family, coerces you to keep it on.

Ah ! Those days of yore and its nostalgia are so infectious. Every thing comes back like a memory page of a well read book. Each character well defined, each incident clearly enacted, each moment vivid and full of detail. Who would have ever imagined that sitting in Bhopal, miles and years away from Allahabad and Delhi, on the set of a film being shot inside the College premises of a renowned Oriental College, the director of the film would suddenly bring up this association and topic and talk. At times one feels it has been all ordained by some force, as it were. A force unknown to all of us !

There are then the patterns of life which we are so unaware of, but when they do occur, it is difficult to ignore the thought that someone sits and plans very meticulously, the how and when and where of it. Believers shall have theories that may support such argument and equally the non believers shall have their strong protestations, but it would be very difficult to completely do away at times, the manner in which tides of time and life perform and unfold !!

Would I have ever imagined that the process of typing in a few thoughts every day would build for me and for many others, an association, a ‘family’, that has become a force to reckon with, in deed and word and action !! You were all just another name in my existence, but now a powerful personal presence - aliteration and all !!

My love to you .. do not be too taken in by the astrology .. and yet may you perhaps learn not to ignore it entirely ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Source:  Big B Blog

The morning hours of early rise Bring forth momentum

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh      Feb 7,  2011        Mon  9 : 58 PM

The morning hours of early rise

Bring forth momentum, or end in cries.

We are but bound to private lease

High above in clouds of peace.

Reading and catching and calling on news,

There are so many, of multiple hues.

Low on land of destination

The clarity of objects our habitation.

Walk to pleasant climes, and into work

Straight on to face ‘er nothing to shirk ;

We are but creatures of instant command

Follow forth in dress in word and demand

Repeated repeated repeated we reap,

Satisfied until we be in deep heap.

There is a strain on vocal galore

Tomorrow in base in measure secure.

Fed by the kindness of age love and care,

A daily routine a generous fare.

And now to the board to link to write

Wonder if all would liken in spite !!

I wish at times to possess the liberty and protection of a journalist. The freedom to express what I felt, secure in the knowledge, that it shall never ever be questioned. That it shall always have the protection of its vast but immensely possessive fraternity. That even in error or damage it would be umbrella-shaded, diluted, made inconsequential, and quickly forgotten. That it shall have the power to remain a reference for posterity, irrespective of its authenticity or caliber. That it shall form opinion for billions, set their minds, be conclusive and have a permanence beyond time. That it become the base from where other decorated bases could prosper and emerge. To be in the exalted belief of possessing superior qualities of literacy, knowledge and education. Of knowing continuously that all the ‘other’ is but a reflection of an inferiority, in a realm which envelops your superiority. Of having the strength of power to demolish belief, standard, effort, opinion, decision, without ever having to live through the pain and joys of their creation. Of sitting regally on throne of judgement, of passing dictat, order and watch kingly like, its orders being obeyed and followed. Of making decision on who’s pandering to pander to and who to keep in abeyance. Of who to juggle and who to spin. Of how to lead one to prominence and pull the other behind. Of having the authority of value and designation and number. Of being in tune continuously with all that is in vogue and be able to declare another’s shallow form at will. Of having determined presence at any time place or hour to demand attention and response, and to judge it by your own personal breeding of it - or perhaps the breeding of the senior.

Of seeking desperately that exclusive column, that hint of evidence to build along. Of possessing the joy of manufacture and connive, belching it out after its done, for fresh morsel. Of being oblivious to sentiment and feeling. And still be able to end the day in comparing how the day fared outrageously favorable, in bringing to distress those gullible, innocent clients, living and existing in morbid defame and horrified public impression.

Knowing, that as I rest the night in peace, I would have disturbed the peace of the ‘other’ for life and perpetually.

But then I think … do you reckon I could ever become this entity …

Naaahh !! Never ! I could never be as qualified as them !

Good night !

Amitabh Bachchan

Source:  Big B Blog

Another day in the life of your blog another day in the life of my life

Jalsa, Mumbai                              Feb 6/7, 2011                               Sun/Mon  12 : 39 AM

Another day in the life of your blog … another day in the life of my life … another recognition, another event, another magazine, another grateful thanks, another year in my 42 years in this profession, over !

Took in a chartered jet from Bhopal, met up with the house, paid respects to the departed Mother of a friend at her ‘chautha’ in town, came in to the Sunday meet with the crowds, on to the Awards at BandraKurlaComplex, pride of the Industry tribute and trophy by Madhuri Dixit, interviews back stage, on stage again to pick up Aishwarya’s best actress award for ‘Guzarish’, on to meet Jaya at a common friend for dinner to meet organizers of the Stuttgart Film Fest, home now for a few hours before catching the charter jet back to Bhopal and on to set from the airport and ‘Aarakshan’ …

Pride of the Industry ! They did a showreel of my journey from Saat Hindustani to Paa and I wondered how on earth did I ever go through all this. It just seems like yesterday ! No single person can be the recipient of the pride for an entire industry, when hundreds have through years and years of blood sweat and tears, contributed so much more than I have. There is pride in my mind for the Industry, I cannot possibly be the Pride.

Humbling and embarrassing all the same ! A member from my Twitter family remarked ‘they are indicating to you by these repeated awards, to stop now, but don’t’ ! Ha ha !

Would I really need to stop. I guess my work, and my body would need to tell or indicate that to me. When it does, I shall. But till then may there be strength to continue. There is no fear within me to stop and bear the consequences. My fear would be whether my EF would still remain. Would they, deprived now of any activity my end, feel reluctant to communicate, disappear, or just shut shop. I do hope I never have to face such consequences. But to think rationally, what is it that would be wrong. It should be in the spirit of matters ; artist no longer making films, what do we need to connect with him for. Life ! And one will have to accept it in the way it comes at you.

I would dwell on this for more, but I would deprive myself of the 3-4 hours of sleep that is due to me now. We could keep this for tomorrow though, or another day. But for now … good night !

I shall clutch the trophy, dress it down with my hands, put it up with its other mates up at the office wall where others reside and shut my eyes to a short number of winks !

My love as ever ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Source:  Big B Blog

Everything is tickety-boo tickety-boo tickety-boo

Bhopal , Madhya Pradesh      Feb  5, 2011       Sat  11 : 10 PM

“Everything is tickety-boo, tickety-boo, tickety-boo !

Everything is tickety boo,

On a bright and early morning !! “

Or words to that effect in a song we used to sing in School .. any remembrances or memories of this song .. ?

Probably not. But came across it today in reference to something I finally found some time to read, and discovered that it could have come from an Anglicized version of a Hindi phrase, used by the British Army in India.

‘Tickety - boo’ perhaps was derived from the Hindi ‘theek hai babu’ which means ‘it’s all right sir’ !!

Fascinating how words expressions and talk, finally find their way into our dictionaries, which then remain for eternity, perhaps without challenge or explanation. It has always been of great wonder to me how languages first formed a means of communication, of expression between two individuals, communities, countries. How did they develop, how their importance in law, parliament, contract, society were found and stamped for life. And how beautifully we have discovered words and expressions to excite, explain, confound, accuse, praise, situations that have become everyday occurrences of our lives. The readiness with which we have succumbed to these peculiar formulations through mediums of technology, through the spoken word. How their representation in writing or in speech has created so many other mediums. How they have become mediums of expressing togetherness and love in one breath, and quite the opposite in another, purely because they have been given different expression and tonal quality. No where do I find this more appropriate than in the world of creativity. Poets, authors, actors, interpreters of speech have all made such valuable contributions to language. Its importance in everyday life and in the way situations are presented. Most of us are taught through a process of education, from our teachers and as obedient pupils, how words and a language needs to be spoken ; how words need to be interpreted and understood. But where did the teachers learn theirs from ? I say this with some amount of query. I hear an important personality and believe that since he or she is in celebrated form, what they do say and how they say, would and should be the finest and ultimate in its correctness. I read the news paper to find words and expressions used which to me indicate that they are the finest form of expression, because they come from the ‘newspaper’, an entity that we have accepted to be of adequate perfect caliber. I listen to the news reader on radio frequencies and on its further invention, the television, and want to emulate the pronunciation of the anchor because they are the correct and ultimate source. What they say and how they say it becomes a norm, becomes the Bible.

What does one do when they the purveyors of the dispersion of the spoken word, in their exalted positions, falter and envelop themselves in error. What does one do when the anchor at the set of the idiot box, is not pronouncing the word correctly. Or the printer misspelling a word. For one that is not literate enough to gather the meaning despite the faults, shall go on to believe that what he heard or read was indeed correct. The fear among the purists of language, the keepers of the faith so to say, is that soon what is being spoken or expressed on or from public platforms is indeed the right way. When in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

English, they say is the most common and the largest spoken language of the universe, followed by Spanish. English they say, is the language that, due to historical reasons, is the language most understood in a country like India. India, with its rapid economic development and more, by its second largest populace in the world, shall soon in the years to come, represent a state where the maximum number of people shall be aware of the language that you read right now in front of you, and because they will, because of sheer demographics be the largest singular community that shall be conversing in English, the fear is that what and how the majority does, becomes the final word. In short, English shall be known for the way it is spoken, not from its origin in England, but by the way it is spoken and expressed in India. And now realizing the importance of economical growth through the factor of knowing English, the Chinese, who are very ambitious to become world leaders, find that they shall have to make radical changes in their political thinking and develop their next generation in learning ‘the language of the world’.

It would be of immense interest then to me, what consequences that would bring to our world. Would then the true color of English be recognized by an Indo-Chin majority and their interpretation of it or what ??

There is another fear that concerns me. I have believed strongly that the Indian is a most adaptable community. Perhaps its historical subjugated past, compels it to be so. Wherever and when ever the Indian has travelled to shores outside India, or has come in contact with the national from an outside world, he has adapted to them, in his speech admirably. The perfectly normal North Indian or one from Andhra or Tamilnadu, shall with great dexterity develop an American twang when he or she meets one. Their expressions and body language shall impressionably change when they confront an Italian say, on the pavement at Marine Drive, or Janpath in Delhi. And we are damn good at it ! Had it not been for our natural dispositions of birth and origin, no one would have made the difference. The Westerner has never been able to do that. Or perhaps his pride for his own, has deterred him. This by no means derides that fact of our own pride in our natural and national assets, it is but a somewhat lame observation, an observation all the same though.

With such a huge amount of linguistic talent at our doorstep, how would the world view us in the years to come.

I find some portents worthy of mention. Because of everything that India is doing these days in the field of economics and the interest that the rest of the world is taking in it because of that, would the outsider then, also begin to respect how they conduct their speech !! And then would this not encourage those that are in error or need correction, to continue what they are doing, faults and all, or not.

I find many that come to this blog express great appreciation on my style of writing. I find that embarrassing, because I find my written word pretty sub standard. Do I stop to worry about any improvement in my craft because a majority approves it. Or do I still endeavor to better it, because it fails according to my standards, a standard I do believe to be the standard lesser than that of the purists. In a world that decides and dictates opinion, on the yard stick of the majority, then ignore, the minority of the purists. But the purists are the elite. If they are minority, a word often used politically and socially for the less privileged, are we not harboring a serious dichotomy within us ??

From a somewhat confused and anxious ….

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan BigB in Stardust Awards 2011

Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit