AN EVENING WITH AB
He started his professional life in 1960s Calcutta and has often come back to the city to relive those memories. Amitabh Bachchan — who has made Calcutta his home from November-end, shooting for Ribhu Dasgupta’s TE3N — will be the guest of honour at Amit Akshar, an initiative of The 42 Foundation and All Bengal Amitabh Bachchan Fans’ Association, in association with t2.
What: Amit Akshar
Where: The Oberoi Grand
When: January 27, 7.30pm onwards. Entry by invitation only.
On the cards: The concept of ‘Amit Akshar’ attempts to draw a connect between the initial life of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan in Calcutta and the Bengalis who orbited around him throughout. As a young man in the 1960s, long before he became the superstar we have known him to be through the decades, Bachchan started his professional career as an executive at the Calcutta-based Bird and Co. Coming back to the city often since then, the 73-year-old darling of the crowds has often narrated stories of catching a tram from Tollygunge or gorging on phuchkas in front of Victoria Memorial.
The evening will witness Bachchan engaging in a heart-to-heart adda with Sharmila Tagore, Aparna Sen and Sandip Ray. Shoojit Sircar, who has directed Bachchan in Piku, will moderate the talk. As part of the adda, Bachchan will talk about his initial days in Calcutta and share his thoughts on Bengali literature, culture, cinema, music and sport....
Chowringhee, an illustrated coffee-table book based on Calcutta’s artery — which also inspired Aparna Sen’s classic 36 Chowringhee Lane — will be unveiled by Bachchan on the occasion and copies distributed to all the guests present at the event.
The book as well as the evening is an endeavour of the Calcutta-based philanthropic trust The 42 Foundation.
The cause: The evening is for a charitable cause and will lend support to Barnaparichay, an initiative by All Bengal Amitabh Bachchan Fans’ Association, that inducts dropouts and children into primary schools.
Organiser speak: “We are extremely happy to have Mr Bachchan for the event. This is the first time he will participate in an event under our umbrella. When we told him about the adda and the fundraiser initiative, he was interested in being a part of it. We want to highlight the fact that a fan club’s work is not only to watch the idol’s films and scream out his name. We have always participated actively in social work” — Sanjay Patodiya, secretary, All Bengal Amitabh Bachchan Fans’ Association.
“Our endeavour Chowringhee will be unveiled at the event by Mr Bachchan, who will sign a copy of the book. We will also hand over a cheque of Rs 30 lakh to All Bengal Amitabh Bachchan Fans Association for Barnaparichay”
— Sudarshana Gangulee, marketing head, The 42 Foundation.
Want to be among the lucky few in the audience at Amit Akshar with Amitabh Bachchan? Ten lucky t2 readers will get an opportunity of a lifetime. Just complete the sentence:
“I am Amitabh Bachchan’s biggest fan because...” in not more than 20 words. The 10 best entries reaching the t2contest@abp.in inbox before 6pm on Sunday will make it to the event on January 27.
