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| Amitabh Bachchan in Bhoothnath Returns, that hits screens on April 11 |
When t2 visited Amitabh Bachchan at his office Janak in Juhu, he was in the middle of promotions for his next release Bhoothnath Returns. “After I am done with you, I have a flight to Hyderabad for a function,” he says, as he sits down for the interview. This was the day after he launched the first look of Rajinikanth’s opus Kochadaiiyaan in Mumbai. The following day, he walked the ramp for a fashion show organised by the Mijwan Welfare Society, an NGO headed by ShabanaAzmi.
It was 45 years ago that the world saw a tall and lanky Bachchan on screen for the first time and 190 film credits later, he is still going strong. Like his social calendar, his work diary for 2014 is also full. “I have Bhoothnath Returns releasing now. Then there is R. Balki’s film followed by Shoojit’s (Sircar). We are also finishing my TV serial that should be on air (on Sony) by the middle of the year. And, then we get into KBC and simultaneously work on Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s film which is being directed by Bejoy Nambiar and also stars Farhan Akhtar. These are some of the projects that are already green-lit. There are a few more that will only start next year,” he says.
Dressed in his favourite white kurta pyjama with a light khadi shawl draped around his shoulder, Bachchan asks for a glass of water before he takes a trip down memory lane.
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How do you look back at your 45 years in films?
Like this (Turns his head to look over his shoulder and laughs) Errr… I am just very fortunate to be here for so long. I have spent three-fourths of my life in this profession. I am 72 now, so it is a long time. I doubt I would have been able to do anything else. I have been associated with wonderful people, done some good, creative work. Every decade, someone new has been coming up and I have been really lucky to work with the talent that has come up. And here I am. I have a film on release and I am looking forward to doing some more films.
Do you remember the moment you faced the camera for the first time for Saat Hindustani (1969)?
I remember the moment clearly. We were shooting in an Urdu-medium school somewhere in the Parel-Dadar area. I was asked to stand up from a sitting position into the frame of the camera and say who I was. I had butterflies in my stomach while we were shooting. At the end of the day, I didn’t do anything special. I wrote a letter home and I spoke to my friends around and then started preparing for the next day’s shoot. I think we travelled immediately to Goa by train.
Now, 190 films and still going strong. Do you have any favourites — films or even characters?
They have all been favourites. It would be unfair to pick one over the other. They have all been interesting and different characters. We are mere puppets in the hands of some wonderful writers, directors, music directors, cinematographers who do all the hard work. We just go and execute what they tell us to. I would give credit to the people who conceive, write stories, who give us lines and direct us, give music and dress us. They work behind the scenes and we never get to see them. These are the people — a massive team — that promotes one individual. We are not those characters you see on screen — they create us. They make us look good, bad or indifferent.
Are there movies that you like going back to?
I don’t have the time to do that. But now and then when I am changing channels, if I see a film, I watch for a little while. I wonder how I did that or why I did that! (Smiles) There is always that feeling of wanting to improve upon what you have done.
Some say acting is a cakewalk. Does it come easy to you now?
That would be a terrible thing. I would never want to be in that situation. Acting doesn’t come easy and I hope it never does. Every day is a challenge. I don’t think it’s fair to say that your profession is a cakewalk. I would rather be challenged every minute. If you are not learning anything new every day, then it takes away from your profession.
Do you still get nervous on the first day of a film, before a shot or on a Friday?
Oh yes! Absolutely. I get very anxious because there is a lot of expectation and anticipation. This is always very prime in my mind. I looked with a great deal of apprehension before we started working on Bhoothnath Returns and now again when it is on the cusp of release.
How do you deal with the nerves?
It’s a part of our lives. It happens with everyone, no matter what profession they are in. There is always the question of whether you are going to get approval from your superiors… your bosses. The public is virtually our bosses.
Lata Mangeshkar once said that music directors of today are so in awe of her that they don’t guide her or make her do another take. Does that happen with you?
Not at all. I have never considered myself to be in the same category as Lataji, of course. She is way, way ahead. But I think, when you are working on a project then it’s wise to sit across the desk prior to the film going on the floor and discuss the whole project in detail — what the director expects, what your performance is going to be like and what changes need to be made. Once you are in front of the camera, then you follow what the director tells you. I have always followed this. Yes, there can be creative disagreements but it is important to sort them out before getting on the floor. Of course, there are times when you feel that you could do a take much better and then I make the suggestion myself. Most of the time, it’s the other way round and if the director feels the first take was fine, you listen to the director.
Hrishida (Hrishikesh Mukherjee), who I have worked with, always used to set an example where this was concerned. If we ever said that we wanted to give another take to try something different even though he was okay with the take, Hrishida would say: ‘Fine, but you pay for the amount of film that will get used in the second take’ (smiles). Sometimes, you just go with what the director tells you because they have the entire vision.
Aren’t you ever tempted to lie back and chill?
I don’t think I will be a professional then. If I have made a commitment, then I should adhere to it. But there are days when you don’t have work. So, then you sit back and do the things you want to do.
You have worked with different generations of actors and technicians. What you do think of this present generation?
I am absolutely in love with all of them; their talent and their degree of concentration and their aggressiveness and approach to filmmaking. How well-qualified they are. We never had the opportunity to be bang on in the very first appearance. It’s remarkable how efficient they are in every film they come out with. Even their first project looks as though they have been doing it for centuries. It’s such a joy to be with them and watch their films.
Is there any movie that you have seen lately where you felt ‘Yes, now that is a role that I would have loved to have done’. I wouldn’t want to do Queen because… (laughs). But Kangana (Ranaut) is marvellous. But it won’t be fair for me to imagine myself in the place of the actors who have already done those films. I see all films... whether it’s Queen, Highway, Hasee Toh Phasee, Ram-Leela and Dhoom:3. It’s incredible how evolved we are as far as filmmaking and concepts are concerned.
While actors from your generation appreciate how far filmmaking has progressed, there is a feeling that the camaraderie one hears of from the olden days has got lost in this age of corporatisation of the film industry. Would you agree?
I think it’s more a personal attitude than anything else. Corporatisation was something that I, in a sense, initiated with ABCL (Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited) and I felt that was the right thing to do. We were a very disorganised industry... still are in some departments... but we are getting there. I don’t think there is any lack of camaraderie today. I move around with some of the younger generation and I find that they all have a very healthy relationship. Yes, they probably don’t mix around as much as we did, but that could be a function of how we communicate today. In the olden times, if I had to convey something, I would go across to meet the person. Today, you’d either call the person or send an SMS. It’s considered as ‘close’ as personally saying something. So, it’s a different way of looking at it.
The great comedian WC Fields once said “Never work with children or animals”. In Bhoothnath Returns, you are working with a child actor again. What are your thoughts?
Fields said “never work”, but I say it’s the toughest job to act with children because they are unpredictable. When I work with a child, I learn from them. They come with no hang-ups or training. They are natural and completely oblivious of what is going on around them. And it’s every actor’s dream to be as natural and uncomplicated as possible. The older you get, you tend to overthink or get into methodology but a kid just performs. Parth, who I work with in Bhoothnath Returns, is an exceptional talent. He is like a mature artiste. He is the hero of the film. It’s been a great joy working with him.
You are an inspiration to millions. What or who inspires you?
I don’t think I am an inspiration to anyone. But I feel that most of our minds and bodies are patterned and designed by our parents. So, I consider my father (Harivansh Rai) and mother (Teji) to be my inspiration.
Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t attempted as yet?
I hope there is. I am unable to figure out what it is but I am waiting for someone to come along and say ‘You haven’t done XYZ’ and I would like to take it up as a challenge.
BACHCHAN TALKS BHOOTHNATH RETURNS — AND BEYOND — ON BLOG AND TWITTER
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DAY 2167
Jalsa, Mumbai
Mar 22/23, 2014
Sat/Sun 12:34 am
The ‘Bhoothnath R’ promotions now take up all my spare time and travel. There is much to be done and there are time constraints. Radio, Television, print, Channel Shows, visits to cities, premieres … the lot ..
I have no details of all that is being programmed, but methinks there is talk of a premiere in Dubai, visits to Delhi and Ahmedabad and some Google chats, or whatever they are called, where we see them, they see us and none of us are actually there .. with press in London ..
I have seen the first cut of the film, without any effects and music and dubbings, and have shown it to some of the directors like Shoojit Sarkar, who have expressed great approval ..
The music is catching on quite rapidly .. today we released the video of Honey Singh’s ‘Party with the BhoothNath’ officially .. so lets see what transpires …
There are going to be appearances on various Tv shows — Comedy with Kapil, ABP news, Boogie Woogie, Tarak Mehta .. and on ..
The world of marketing has presented us with huge opportunity to make that first week end almost impregnable to any mishap or damage on box office performance, so one respects it and honors all the efforts being made…
Films work .. not the stars, not the marketing, nothing .. the content is king !!
I do sincerely hope that our content in this film shall be as close to ‘royalty’ as possible.
There is a mountain of film scripts that need to be read and decided upon, but for the moment the mind has to be sharp towards that which is on hand ..
So.. what the coming days and months look like are as follows:
‘BhoothNath Returns’ the film on April 11 world wide..
R Balki’s rather unusual and exciting film with Dhanush and Akshara starting work next month ..
Tv serial shooting in progress and we hope that it comes on soon …
Shoojit Sarkar’s film ‘Piku’ with Deepika and Irfan Khan, starting work by June-July .. Simultaneously starting preparations for KBC .. And in between KBC to find days and time for Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s production, with Farhan Akhtar …
There are a few more that have been green signaled — an Abbas Mustan film, a Rumi Jafri film and a few more with other distinguished directors … and .. 2 offers from overseas. The travel that shall have to be reckoned with would take me to almost around the globe .. UK, Europe, USA perhaps Boston, SAf … but … and there is always a but to many so confirmation is waited upon ..
Amongst all this, there shall be a desire to perform on stage with recitations from my Father’s works, and to be able to take it on an extended form to cities within and without India ..
Then … there is all the charity and philanthropic work, which shall involve personal looking into, to ensure proper execution and delivery ..
Love to all …
Amitabh Bachchan
(Courtesy: http://srbachchan.tumblr.com/)
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