Mumbai, October 17: Knowing Amitabh Bachchan is not like knowing others in the showbiz. He is certainly not an open book, though you are always welcome to read the footnotes.
I was friends with Jaya for many years before. And I was amazed at how warmly she had met me although I was a complete non-entity and a gushing fan back then. “You must meet Amit,” she urged me several times, until it finally happened.
My first meeting with Mr Bachchan was almost disastrous. While he had loads to say on the phone he simply stared with a questioning smile when we met, leaving the entire responsibility of a conversation to me.
As time passed by, I understood the logic of it. A lot of the greatest artistes in the world tend to conserve their energy for their art and vocation. When you meet Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini or Lata Mangeshkar their body language and conversational casualness suggest they are almost in a meditative mood. But put them in the vortex of their art and they let the adrenaline flow.
Since that first meeting Mr Bachchan has made it a point to meet me every time I am in town. And the time that he allots for you is all yours. But he lets you know the meeting has some meaning and relevance for him.
Over the years I’ve shared many golden moments with him. The one that in hindsight seems supremely historic was at the premiere of Black where Mr Bachchan insisted I welcome the VVIP guests. “It’s as much your film as mine,” he said to me and instructed me to stand next to him. I gladly complied. No one says no to Mr Bachchan.
Soon into the evening in walked the flashily (though never gaudily) dressed Rekha. After greeting the director and his mother she headed straight towards Mr Bachchan who stood his ground with unwavering dignity.
Rekha bent down to whisper lavish compliments to little Ayesha Kapoor who was standing in front of Mr Bachchan.
Mr Bachchan has infinite patience with exhibitionists. He handles them with calm stoicism. Compliments are taken with a dismissive laugh. But excessive gush and attempts to get his attention with public displays of affection or, inversely,studied indifference leave him unaffected. His real feelings are kept completely removed from the public range of vision.He had gone through a lot of pain when he was hospitalised in January 2006.
After the surgery he would wake up in the middle of the night wit acute pain. Yet in the morning he would be ready to meet all the concerned visitors.
Somewhere I think the fact that a super-icon, too, is vulnerable to human vagaries and frailties is very assuring. We love to see the human side to the legends. We even enjoy their downfall so that we can be comforted by the thought that the laws of fallibility are applicable to all.
Mr B is in no mood to oblige. He just won’t slip up. No matter how many directors he accommodates in his diary a dozen more crop up every year. And he gives all of them a patient hearing. In fact Jaya complains that Mr B is much too open to offers, many of them according to her, unworthy of him.
Contrary to popular belief Mr Bachchan is not the least clued in to financial matters. He makes tons of money, but he has also forfeited his salary on more than one occasion. But when this fee exemption recently happened twice in a row with the same filmmaker Mr Bachchan did wonder if there’s an element of being taken for granted there.
Strangely he never gets upset when he’s exploited by filmmakers or his films go wrong. But when the same happens with Abhishek, he loses his cool. I’ve seen him livid over Abhishek’s films and performances not being given their due.
Over the years Mr Bachchan and I have met over meals many times in his house.Most of the time he would make sure that the entire family is around. With or without the family he’s always very quiet. “And what’s happening with you?” he would say leaving the ball in your court.
That’s what really distinguishes Mr Bachchan from all other denizens of the entertainment world. He doesn’t really care to let you know you are with THE Amitabh Bachchan. He just disappears into himself and hopes you would find what you’ve come looking for.
—Agencies