Amitabh Bachchan: Let me correct you ma’am, I shall be turning 68 in a few days, so I’m no longer a 67-year-old (his birthday is on October 11),”
Amitabh Bachchan, the man who’s currently playing the role of a 12-year-old in Balki’s Paa. And from the look of it, it is with that very childlike mindset that he came for this event because the usually reticent, monosyllabic Bachchan spoke, and even joked over lengthy interviews to the press.
So, he’s to play a pop psychologist for the inmates of the Bigg Boss 3 house. What’s he supposed to do? AB confesses to not knowing it exactly. “It has always intrigued me, this whole ‘mind’ part of us human beings. Why does someone behave the way he does? When he loses his temper, when he shouts at someone? When he laughs or does peculiar things ... would it not be nice to know the answer? Is there a past that he has lived? Is there any incident in his life that could’ve perhaps influenced his behaviour? I thought it would be interesting to know.” Is he then a ‘vibe’ kind of person? Someone who likes or dislikes people immediately, or does he psycho-analyse them before extending his hand for a shake? “I don’t pursue this role in my personal life. It’s an interesting angle to see things. But I’m bad even at self-analysis,” he says. “We all think that we are smart and intelligent, but I have realised that there are a whole lot of people, young and old, who are far, far more intelligent than us. People who can express themselves better, do riveting analyses of situations and people,” he adds.
From lock kiya jaye to unlocking people’s emotions – Big B’s TV career has also come a long way, mired in controversies, nevertheless ... was he aware that this reality show was considered unfit for family viewing earlier? How did he then consent to be a part of this Colors show? “I am aware. Ghar ke logon ne, parivaar ke logon ne bhi yahi kaha. But then, when I was going to do KBC, they had said the same thing. Things worked out there. Also, controversy kariye, toh hota hai, na kariye, toh hota hai. Hum logon ka jeevan aisa ho gaya hai ke cheekhein toh controversy, na cheekhein toh controversy. We have to live with it. I have come to terms with that ... I get angry too, but I have learnt not to express it ... publicly at least.” Would he like to be inside the Bigg Boss house? “I probably shouldn’t be saying this – but no, never. How can you be cut off from life like this? Living in isolation, without near and dear ones, no newspaper, with strangers, with no mobiles, TV, etc, is just not me. No knowledge of time ... I can’t do it,” he says vehemently.
Equally vehement is he about not doing sweet, romantic roles anymore. “I have to be doing roles that suit me,” he says. And when someone asked him if he thought Bollywood offered roles to suit his age, then, what offended AB was not the age bit, but the fact that the journo said ‘Bollywood’. “I don’t like the word. It’s not us. Indian film industry kahiye please. The term Bollywood was probably coined by some smart journalist,” says Big B.
And for Paa ... “It’s not that I wanted to do a 12-year-old’s role, but it amazed me when I heard of the role – to be aging physically, and yet be mentally young,” says he, adding, “The role requires a lot of prosthetics. A couple of hours to get the look and then another hour to get it off ... ” And where does the inspiration to play a 12-year-old come from, at his age? “I draw from the memories of my own childhood, kabhie sochta hoon Abhishek kya karta tha, when he was young, and then there are my grandchildren. So yes, I think about all of them.”
Did he watch Abhishek and Aishwarya on the Oprah Winfrey Show? “No, I didn’t. I haven’t had the time yet. When I get back, maybe, they’d have taped it or something. I have been busy the last couple of days. Must’ve given at least 400 interviews,” he says, and reaches out for a plate of sandwiches. “May I? I am hungry, haven’t had the time to eat,” he says. So busy at this age ... And when actors half his age have no work, and are reluctant to admit it too, Big B, in his full baritone, announces, “I have no new projects in hand as of now. I had planned it that way. I knew that I had to be with a dear friend of mine (read Amar Singh) and he went into surgery and recuperated. I deliberately finished all my projects before that. Now that I am back, I am fortunate to see that many people still want to work with me.” That they probably always will, but doesn’t he get tired of it all? He admits there’s still something magical about Bollywood films. “There is a fascination with Hindi films. Even though Hollywood is bigger because of its language connect, the people watching Indian films are far larger in number. When I was young, I used to ask my dad why he’s so fascinated with Hindi cinema. He used to tell me that Hindi filmon mein poetic justice hoti hai. Aur woh bhi, teen ghante mein. Aur isi poetic justice ke liye wait karte karte aapki aur hamari saari zindagi nikal jaati hai,” says AB.
Talking about magic, what about Aladin? “That’s come up nicely.” He apparently plays a genie ... any three wishes he’d want granted, were a genie to offer him the chance? AB groans. “Arrey baba ... In Mumbai at the press conference, I’d been asked this question so many times, ke main raat bhar sochta raha ke iska toh koi jawab nikaalna chahiye, Dilli mein bhi poochhenge. But I could come up with nothing,” he says, laughing, “Bas, film chal jaaye, mujhe press conferences se chhutkara mil jaaye ... ” That’s the pop psychologist playing his part ... always staying behind the mask of politeness and political correctness
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