AB records two rap songs, a ballad for Vishal-Shekhar

At 65, Amitabh Bachchan remains indefatigable. Even as he continues to shoot for a number of films juggling dates among Mumbai, Goa and Delhi in the last one week, he also found the energy, breath and time to record three songs for Vishal-Shekhar for two different films.

"That's not all. One more song remains to be recorded for Sujoy Ghosh's Alladin as soon as I return to Mumbai," the Big B said from Goa where he’s shooting for debutant director Vivek Sharma's Bhootnath. Big B plays a ghost in Sharma's film. "I've sung a rap song for Vishal-Shekhar for my ghost's character in Bhootnath and another rap song for my djinn's character in Alladdin. Plus I recorded a soft lyrical number for Bhootnath. As soon as I return I'll record one more song for Alladin."

Vishal-Shekhar who've composed this carnival of crooning for the Big B, have been working on a non-film album of Abhishek Bachchan's hip-hop for producer Rohan Sippy for the last one year. That too will have singing inputs from the senior Bachchan.

"It looks like the music composers are thinking of an alternative career for me. They obviously don't think much of me as an actor," the Big B jokes before flying off to the London Film Festival for Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear, a film for which the actor's vocal prowess has come into much

Photo Feature: 16 Year Old Amitabh Bachchan

Yes it's the photograph taken in 1958 when Amitabh was 16 year old. The boy in the circle is Amitabh. He has some features of Abhishek, right! No, No, Abhishek has some Amitabh's features! That's right, probably.

The Big B brings in a quiet birthday

The 65th birthday would rank as the Big B's quietest yet. His son was shooting in Namibia for Goldie Behl's Drona and his daughter-in-law was wrapping up the Pink Panther in Boston while wife Jaya was down with a bout of flu. Added to these problems was the constant worry of having a severely ill mother on his hands.

Says a close friend of Mr Bachchan, "He wrapped up his shooting by evening on the eve of his birthday and headed straight for the hospital to be with his mom. That's where he brought in his birthday. Being with his mother gave him an inner strength and tranquility that only a devoted son knows about. And sons, let me tell, don't come any more devoted than this one."

Mr Bachchan himself, bogged down by family, media and legal pressures politely refused to do interviews this birthday. "What's there to say? A birthday is like any other day for me. Yes, friends, fans and supporters make it a very special day for me. I accept their good wishes with tremendous humility and gratitude."

Amitabh Bachchan endorses another Chyawanprash

Amitabh Bachchan is all set to endorse yet another Dabur India’s product called Chyawan Junior. With Dabur Chyawan Junior, Dabur has ventured into the market of Malted Food Drink. ‘Apun Ka Style’ is a creative idea on which the advertisement campaign of this Dabur Product is based.

Amitabh Bachchan teasing boys in television commercials of various Dabur India products namely Dabur Chyawanprash, Dabur Hajmola and Dabur Glucose-D are very popular among children. Dabur Chyawan commercial has been made by McCann Erickson where Amitabh will be seen taken by surprise when he watches his grandson drink Dabur Chyawan Junior as a morning breakfast in the absence of the latter’s mother. Amitabh says 'Yeh to mummy ka style hai', to which the kid says, 'Yeh apun ka bhi style hai'.

Prasoon Joshi, executive chairman, McCann Erickson India, said that in the whole process of carrying out this commercial, they were very careful about Amitabh Bachchan not being the centre of the attraction. Mr. Bachchan rather has played an advocate who has been a helping hand in bringing creative together.

I seriously want to do TV again: Amitabh Bachchan

The bustle in his career just refuses to disperse. Amitabh Bachchan is to the entertainment business what the Rolls Royce is to the automobile indust.

Posh, yet warm and inviting.Last week he had the whole of Toronto eating put of his hands when he attended the premiere of The Last Lear along with Rituprano Ghosh.

Barely 3 days later he rushed to Delhi to collect his National award—"before they change their mind," he joked—and is now back in Mumbai dubbing and shooting.

The Toronto experience must rank as extraordinary even by your exceptional standards of ovation.
I am new to the film festiva scenario.Its ethics its climate and its importance. So being a part of the Toronto Film Festival was a novel experience. They say it's a big deal to be in the 'Master's Section', to be invited to the 'Gala' and the 'red carpet'.

So yes Toronto was all this and more. The crowds and the screaming fans on the street leading up to the main theatre before the red carpet, the 2500- seater inside packed to capacity, the introductions on stage, the special box for the cast, the pin- drop silence during the film and the rapt attention with which the audience watched the film and when the credits rolled in the end and the spot light came on to our seats the standing 15-min ovation.

Moving emotional and so overwhelming ! Thereafter, the festival glitterati coming up to compliment the film and the work.Then there were the numerous media interviews of praise. It all seemed unreal.

But so satisfyin! I think the presence of mainstream commercial cinema artists in an 'art film' has been the surprise and that they could be involved in such a good product has been an awesome experience for them.

Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear is your first English-language film.
Yes, the first English- language film and Shakespeare to top it is heavy stuff. But I shall await its formal release and see and gauge what the audiences of this particular kind of cinema have to say.

Last year at the Toronto film festival was different. It was Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna an escapist fare and a film that had already been released and seen by all.

It was more an acknowledgement of the presence of Indian cinema than anything else. A cinema which now happily enjoys great attention and patronage from the western audiences.

An audience that was cynical and very un- complimentary till date.It's wonderful to see the scenario change. To find everyone conversant and appreciative of our films and our country.

To be able to walk abroad with a certain sense of pride and value. To find the locals as awestruck with our stars as they are with a Brad Pitt-Angelina-George Clooney-Matt Damon.

Its all happening. And bigger things will follow.

Your Shakespearean oratory in Lear has fascinated audiences in Toronto. They ask, why and how Shakespeare from India.
Yes, some very important reviews talked about it with great relish and amazement. I'm happy it was noticed and commented on. Shakespeare is a universal entity and English is very much a part of our lives.

Be it the Government, the administration, society, films, English is a major language in our country. It's a part of our History and legacy.

So just because William was British it doesn't mean we cannot study or appreciate or play parts from his plays. All public school education has had Mr Shakespeare in their curriculum and every theatre enthusiast has read and represented him on stage at some point or the other.

Cameron Bailey has compared you with Richard Burton and Toshiro Mifune. Do you think the comparisons are apt?
No they are not apt. Of course not ! But I'm deeply humbled if he thought so and thought it important enough to be mentioned in his review of the film in the formal brochure of the festival.

The two legends are great favourites of mine. Putting me in the same bracket is an undeserving honour. But, how wonderful to find Indian actors being referred to in this vein. Incredible !!

And now you returned to collect your National award. How was the experience in Delhi. Your entire family , barring your Bahu, was there to cheer you.
Yes I returned almost immediately to the National Award. A glorious feeling of fulfillment and joy and accomplishment to be able to share the moment with my nearest and dearest.

Recognition in whatever form is so necessary and important for creative people and when it comes from the highest authority in the country it brings with it that added prestige and relevance.

My gratitude to the President, the Government and the Ministry for creating this moment for me. And my immense and sincere gratitude to Sanjay Leela Bhansali for making this happen.

What have you returned to in terms of work. Which project now?
I am on Bhootnath right now for a month till it finishes. Then move on to Alladin by Sujoy Ghosh, Shoojit Sarkar's film Shoebite ….a working title just yet, the story of which is unique and challenging. 'Teen Patti' by Leena Das, another exciting role.

Balki's next 'Pa', finishing RGV's Sarkaar 2 and preparing with him simultaneously on another dramatic project which i have coerced him into doing. And no its not called Cobra, or whatever that is supposed to be !

Ravi Chopra's Pocket Maar, a brilliant idea. And of course I'm getting set for Warner's and Mira Nair's Shantaram . There are of course very talented other directors in serious negotiations like Prasoon Pandey and Priyan and Deepa Mehta next year later.

I read intermittently the 25 scripts that lie with me for approval. I feel embarassed when I'm unable to give them immediate attention because of the work load.

They come to me with so much hope and expectation and enthusiasm and I feel so guilty when I have to say no to them. But someday God willing I shall work with them. They are all such brilliant scripts and ideas.

You're serious about television?
Of course! I've some unique ideas and concepts which I keep juggling with. I want to do it all ! But there is limited time. We are all slaves to schedules.Such a pity !!

Much above all this is the concern for my Mother's health. Its over a year and a half in hospital in that same critical condition for her. Nothing is of any value with her in this state.

"Toronto Film Festival was a picnic" - Rituparno

Rituparno has never been happier. Ritu and his entire Last Lear team had a picnic in Toronto. "I've never seen this kind of ovation for any of my film. And we were all so relaxed."

Laughs Ritu, "All of us from The Last Lear team were completely cut away from the Festival crowd because we were put up at the Royal York because Amit-da wanted to stay there. But there was a stunning solidarity among us. The entire team—Amitji, Arjun, Preity, newcomer Jisshu Sengupta, then the producer Arindam Chowdhary and executive producer Shubho Shekhar—were all there. And then Presanjeet who was there for Buddhadeb Dasgupta's Kaal Purush joined us because he has a cameo in Last Lear. Arjun had come with his wife Meher and Prosenjeet's wife was also there, also the producer's wife. So the ambience was relaxed."

Ritu recalls the journey to the 'Gala' event at the Toronto Film Festival. "All of us got into three stretch limos as though we were proceeding to picnic. I was wearing black, Amit-da was wearing an off-white band –gala for the Gala, Arjun was wearing a suit, Preity was wearing grey. So it was a perfect 'Grey Card' situation for television."

Ritu sobers down. "There was only one reason why I was very hassled. I was seeing The Last Lear for the first time. I've been to innumerable festivals. But this was a unique experience. They kept asking why Shakespeare was part of an Indian film. I had to keep explaining, I grew up meeting Shakespeare on the streets of Kolkata. Theatre Road was renamed Shakespeare Sarani. Shakespeare is lodged permanently in Kolkata. Anyway, Deepa Mehta and Vishal Bhardwaj and his wife were among those who really loved The Last Lear."

Jesus! This is little scary:Big B

"Jesus! This is getting a little scary!"exclaimed the senior Bachchan from London on Tuesday. He was on the way back to Mumbai from the Toronto Film Festival where the response to his performance in Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear was overwhelming to us out here, scary to the actor himself.

Says the enraptured director, "In all my life I've never seen an Indian actor, or for that matter any actor, give such a passionate and complete performance. Mr Bachchan just sweeps you away. I can't wait to work with him."

Preity Zinta adds, "He's even better in Last Lear than than he was in Black. And that's saying a lot!"

Tell AB about these comments, and he grunts, "Did she say that? Oh my gosh! This is getting seriously embarrassing. I won't compare Last Lear with Black. They're different films and different roles conceived by different filmmakers.

I know Deepa saw Last Lear. She lliked it. We met over dinner after the screening. I've worked on several different graphs for my character in the Last Lear. I wonder if everyone would catch them! We now take Last Lear to the Rome and London film festivals."

AB lands in Mumbai tomorrow and heads straight to Delhi to receive his National award for Black. "I'm rushing to Delhi before they change their minds," he deadpans

Shatru is still my friend: Big B

The year 1980. The year of Yash Johar's mega-moneyspinner Dostana. "And a very special film," recalls Amitabh Bachchan who's currently in a remote area of Rajasthan shooting for Vidhu Vinod Chopra's new film.

"Dostana was Karan Johar's father Yash Johar's first film as producer. It's so apt that I worked with the father and now I'm working with his son in Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna From the time I worked in Dostana we never said goodbye to the Johars. Not too many people know this.

But there were lots of prominent producers who started off with me in their film. I had the good fortune of being in the first production of Prakash Mehra who started with Zanjeer. Manmohan Desai started with Amar Akbar Anthony. Tito-Tony started their production company with Do Anjaane. Iqbal Singh became an individual producer with Kaalia and of course Yash Johar with Dostana…..What an appropriate title!

All of us associated with the film—Yash Johar, Shatrughan Sinha, Zeenat Aman, director Raj Khosla, writers Salim-Javed—were friends….Dostana was also special because it was the only film in which Raj Khosla directed me. He was very thorough, with a great sense of drama and music.

The way the songs were brought into the plot—for example Mere dost kissa yeh kya ho gaya—was exceptional. Unlike today when so much jiggery-pokery goes with technique and camera angles, Dostana was a very simple film.

The most fancy thing in Dostana was a trolley shot here or there. The whole team was trained under the great Guru Dutt. It showed….I knew my co-star Shatrughan Sinha from the time he was at the Pune Film Institute. He graduated at the same time as Jaya, Navin Nichchol, Danny Denzonga and Romesh Sharma.

All of them are my friends to this day. I knew Shatrughan from the time we did my first film as a solo hero Bombay To Goa together. Several of our early films together never saw the light of day. We were all bonded by the struggle to make it big.

We used to spend a lot of wonderful times together. Then Sharughan was much in-demand as a villain, then leading men. There are only two actors in the film industry who were able to achieve this crossover from villain to hero. Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha. They've a lot to be proud of.

Both are coincidentally in politics and very successful at that too….Was there any ego hassles with Shatrughan or any of my co-stars? Not as far as I can tell. I'm perhaps the only actor to have done so many fims with so many actors from Shashi Kapoor and Rishi Lapoor to Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha…you name it."

Mr Bachchan then tries to define a friend. "Someone who has your trust and faith…someone whom you enjoy being with and who will be with u during trying times….I don't have very many friends. The ones that I have, I'm very proud of and happy with. Amar Singh, Anil Ambani, Subrato Roy…they're all my close friends.

We don't get to spend too much time together. It isn't essential to meet everyday with friends. The strength of a friendship lies in remaining proximate and warm even when you are physically away. You are so far away. Yet I know you are my friend."

When I tell him that he's someone who's always willing to accommodate a friend in his life and schedule Mr Bachchan protests. "You cannot use the word 'accommodate' for a friendship. Once you call someone a friend whatever you do or not do must come naturally and without fanfare. I think to accommodate a friend is to belittle friendship."

Simi Garewal recalls AB as a fun friend who entertained his friends for hours joking and singing. "Simi and I did Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Namak Haraam together. I'm sure we had a lot of fun. And now…I still remain the same. Even if I'm watched constantly I continue to have fun when I'm with friends.

Why should there be any restrain ? I do have fun at parties when I'm with a comfortable group of friends. As for rest of the social appearances, they're for noble causes. And these include commitment made to friends. If friends request you to give time, you have no choice.

Ravi Chopra to do Pocket Maar with Big B Click here to add this article to My Clips

After Baabul and Baghban, it's time for the prolific Ravi Chopra to conceive yet another project with Mr Bachchan in mind.

Says Ravi Chopra, "We've so far done Baghban and Baabul. And decades ago I directed him in Zameer. I couldn't plunge into another film with him just because of the rapport we share. The project has to be worthy of his presence. I'm now planning Pocket Maar with Mr Bachchan for early next year."

Does the Big B play the title role again as he did in Baghban and Baabul? "No, this time he plays the victim of a pickpocket's designs. For the man who commits the crime it's just another job done, and finished with. But what about the man who loses, say 10,000 rupees? What repercussions does this loss have on his life? Mr Bachchan will play that man."

Playing the victim isn't new to the Big B. He did it recently in Viruddh and Baghban. But Ravi Chopra has an entirely new character and look planned for the Big B.

Fun Republic's 6th anniversary with Big B festival

It's birthday time at Fun Republic. E-City Ventures promoted Fun Republic is celebrating its 6th anniversary by hosting a Bachchan Film Festival from 27th July - 5th August. The festival, which will be spread out over two weekends, will include all-time favorite blockbusters of the legendary Big B, including Namak Halal, Deewar, Trishul, Baghban, Sarkar and Muqaddar Ka Sikander.

The anniversary celebrations will be marked by a cake cutting ceremony with a 'Big' 25-kilogram cake.