Did you catch the performance?” asked the birthday boy, dressed in a dark, much-embroidered sherwani. We hadn’t because someone had majorly messed up the traffic arrangements starting at the gates of Film City. Even those with pilot cars and security escorts took over an hour-and-a-half to reach the way-out venue (the sprawling Reliance Mediaworks complex) from the gate.

The Film City gate had banners from the local unit welcoming Mulayam Singh Yadav, son Akhilesh and the new Samajwadi Party star, Dimple Yadav. The Yadavs didn’t just turn up for a while from Lucknow, they dined at the sit-down circular tables, partied and stayed on until after midnight.

Back to the birthday boy, Amitabh Bachchan solicitously enquired if we’d caught his rendition of Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s much-celebrated Madhushala. Apologising for the traffic snarl, he said, “Let’s all eat first... And then we’ll perform it again for those who missed it.”

That included Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri, Sanjay Dutt and Maanyata, Suniel Shetty and Mana, and the dazzling Madhuri Dixit and Dr Shriram Nene. She introduces him with a simple, “Meet Ram.”

Spread over three spacious rooms (one for the sit-down dinner, an auditorium, and a hall with a dance floor and buffet style dinner), four decades of cinematic achievement were all over, with freeze frames from big ticket AB starrers on the walls. Also, each dining table carried the name of one of his numerous blockbuster hits. So there was the Aakhri Raasta table, the Deewaar table, the Baghban table and so on.

A few speeches and film music accompanied the dinner. Anil Kapoor was thrilled when Hawa hawai from Mr India was played. “My song at Bachchan’s party?” he grinned widely.

Several TV channel faces had flown in from Delhi including Shekhar Gupta, Siddharth Basu, Rajat Sharma and Vikram Chandra.

Post-dinner, Amitabh waited in the auditorium while his guests trooped in for a repeat performance of Madhushala, pre-recorded with a bit of accompanying music by close friend Aadesh Shrivastav. As AB pointed out, his father had recited it in 1933 for the first time at a sammelan where he was asked to go on non-stop. And Harivansh Rai Bachchan, without any music to accompany him, had recited all 135 verses of Madhushala because he knew it all by heart!

In deference to the performers (there was an elaborately choreographed ballet to go with the rendition), guests were asked to leave their glasses outside the auditorium which was correct but a bit ironical considering the show was based on Madhushala. There were printed booklets of Madhushala on each chair along with a translation in English.

Sanjay Dutt had a field day. He had Tina and Anil Ambani on one side of the front row and ex-friend Madhuri three seats away. There is a certain maturity regarding former relationships in the air these days as Sanjay introduced himself to Shriram Nene and chatted with him, with Madhuri soon joining in. After the performance, Sanju introduced Maanyata to Madhuri.

The big hit of the day was granddaughter Aaradhya who was packed off home after 1am when Abhishek and Aishwarya hit the floor. That was the moment the entire Bachchan clan — Shweta shimmering in a body-hugging short dress in gold, Abhishek with solitaire studs in his ears and Jaya in a long, embroidered orange kurta — began to pull all their friends to the floor. Shweta jumped up and down excitedly and got her dad to the floor. Abhishek ticked off anyone who wasn’t dancing with, “70 is just a number, come on.”

For anyone who wants to know, Aishwarya is still pleasantly plump. But does it really matter when she is clearly having the time of her life as mom and Bachchan bahu?

In between the Bachchan tracks, SRK’s Chammak challo was played. Khan immediately swung into action with Bipasha Basu (in a flowing white gown) partnering him equally energetically. It was high energy all around with AB and SRK too dancing with each other. Tina and Anil Ambani enthusiastically applauded from the sidelines. Poonam Dhillon danced all night, Abhishek was unstoppable as he even danced thumping chest to chest with music director Vishal (of Vishal-Shekhar fame).

At 2.30am, Jaya pushed us back saying, “How can you go home so soon?” It was the same an hour later with all the Bachchans, Bips, Shah Rukh and hordes of friends still going strong.

Abhishek was right. With his dad blazing the floor at 4am, 70 is truly just a number.

Bharathi S. Pradhan is editor, Film Street Journal