An average Indian can be expected to goof up between a Prime Minster and a Chief Minister but none can feign ignorance about Amitabh Bachchan’s monumental presence in the Indian mindscape. Though acclaimed writer and columnist Chetan Bhagat says he isn’t a Bollywood buff, he has no qualms confiding that he’s been a Bachchan buff all through. While Time magazine listed the young author amongst ‘the 100 most influential people in the world’, Chetan credits it to the big influence Bachchan has had in his life, in his work… and even over his children. In fact, the fascination for the thespian is the thriving commonality between him and his 10-year-old twins Shyaam and Ishaan, both avid Kaun Banega Crorepati watchers. That precisely sums up the Bachchan magic. His unique ability to converse in the jargon of the times and cut across the boundaries of gender, geography and generations…
In Chetan Bhagat’s words…
THE ‘B’IG FASCINATION
My earliest touch point with Amitabh Bachchan was when I was five. It’s a hazy reminiscence though. The song Mere paas aao from Mr Natwarlal (1979) sung in his voice with the roar of a tiger in between mesmerised me as a child. During my growing years, VHS (Video Home System) was huge. We’d rent out his films alphabetically from A to Z – say from Aakhri Raasta (1986) to Zanjeer (1973). If nothing else, I’d keep watching Namak Halaal (1982) again and again. We believed he was an actor for kids.
Those days, movie lyric booklets and picture postcards of stars were sold on the pavements for 50 paise. We children would buy them, collect them and even trade them amongst ourselves. For us, the 70 mm was our only contact with the stars. This generation will find it hard to fathom the impact celebrities had on us. Today you hear it straight from the star on social media.
Somewhere in the ‘90s, Amitabh Bachchan’s career began to decline. When I watched Sooryavansham (1999) I was left wondering ‘what’s happening?’ Then
I joined IIM-A in Ahmedabad. And one day the ABCL (Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd – a venture in film production and event management) visited the campus to recruit people. For the first time, entertainment was looked upon as a corporate business. The campus went berserk. But I was rather shallow then. All I wanted was to make money. After graduating in 2000, I went to Hong Kong and worked in a bank. Back home, Amitji began hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). The show got people crazy. And his career was on a roll once again.
BRUSH WITH THE BIG B
Around 2004, my first book Five Point Someone was published followed by One Night @ the Call Center (2005) and The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008). In 2009, I was invited to the literary festival at Jaipur. Amitji was seated on the table with the organisers. I was sitting on the next with stalwarts like Vikram Seth and Gulzar saab. Amitji came around to greet us and shook hands with all of us. He needn’t have. We wouldn’t have thought any less of him. We were happy to admire him from a distance. I told him I was trying to write for movies and since I wrote for young people I hoped to write something for Abhishek (Bachchan). He said in jest, “Abhishek! Why not me?” I smiled saying, “Well, I don’t think I’m capable enough to do that!” That night he mentioned us in his blog referring to us as ‘celebrated writers’ and referring to himself as ‘little me’. I was still working as an investment banker then and his mentioning me in his blog meant a lot.
Recently, in KBC, he asked a question on 2 States, a film based on my similarly titled novel. It went, “In the film 2 States, the Punjabi boy falls in love with a .......... girl.” Then he spoke about the book. That it was based on my life and that my wife Anusha (ex-classmate from IIM-A) is also a Tamil. I was overwhelmed that someone whom I so admired would mention me on his show. He’s a milestone in my career.
THE ‘B’IG PERFORMER
As an actor, he’s someone who gives more than what’s in the script. He makes a funny scene funnier, an emotional scene more intense. For instance the scene in Namak Halaal where he says, “I can talk English, walk English, I can laugh English... because English is a very funny language...” is my favourite. Of course, comedy is largely dependent on the dialogue writer. But no one can write comic timing for you.
Also the scene from Satte Pe Satta (1982) where he tells Amjad Khan, “Daaru peene se liver kharab hota hai!” is marvellous. The 20-minute shot is taken in one frame, from one camera angle yet he held the monologue so effectively. When Salman Khan had to do a drunk scene in Kick (Chetan wrote the film’s screenplay), director Sajid Nadiadwala, who’s a huge Bachchan fan, dug out this scene as reference. One of Amitji’s finest emotional performances was witnessed in Shakti (1982). I’ve shared a rough equation with my father, something I was never vocal about. When I watched Shakti, I felt it was my story. The scene where he consoles his father (Dilip Kumar) on the death of his mother (Raakhee) with a mere touch is so moving. 2 States is also the story of my turbulent relationship with dad. So somewhere the influence of Shakti had seeped in.
Through the ‘70s and the ‘80s, Amitabh Bachchan became the antithesis to the romantic tragic hero. He underlined that there’s more to life than just that. As ‘the angry young man’, he reached out to the lowest denominator. There was a socio-economic subtext in his films right from Deewaar, Mard to Agneepath, something
he may not have been given due credit for, being such a commercial superstar. But down the years he became the Indian icon, the adarsh pursh. Yet
he was someone who could test the limits of morality as in Deewaar, Sharabi, Silsila right up to Nishabd.
Silsila remains my most romantic movie. No one before had dared to make an infidelity saga with mainstream actors. You can’t have Holi without the song Rang barse. There’s a lot of storytelling in the number. Towards the end of the song when he covers Rekha’s head with a chunni, it created a picture of love and rebellion. He shared electric chemistry with Rekha. That’s why perhaps there were so many rumours about them. If he were an actor constrained by his image he wouldn’t have played a role, which his image didn’t allow.
Then Ram Gopal Varma’s Nishabd is another daring film. It was like Vladimir Nabokov’s classic Lolita – bold but not vulgar. But unfortunately, he got trapped in his own image of a patriarch and received flak from a section of people for the role. But audiences forget that he has to challenge himself as an actor, which is not fair.
THE ‘B’IG PERSONA
One big way in which he has influenced me is also the ease and pride with which he speaks Hindi. I write a Hindi column in Daink Bhaskar. I hosted a Hindi show 7 Race Course (dramatised biographies of Indian Prime Ministers). My PRs suggest that being an English writer, I should concentrate on speaking in English. But Amitji switches from English to Hindi so effortlessly. It’s this universality that’s responsible for his success. As a writer too, I aspire for this kind of universality. I want even auto drivers to read my books.
He’s totally devoid of ‘elitism’ though he’s high up there. Buddhism speaks of mudita, which refers to the virtue of being able to celebrate the joy of others. Then you’re incapable of feeling jealousy or envy. Amitji is not only about himself. He goes beyond his boundaries to celebrate others and continues to be fascinated. That’s why he keeps growing. In fact, he writes more than me. He maintains a daily blog. He’s on Twitter. To stay timeless you have to adapt, adapt, adapt... and that’s what he’s been doing. I am also intrigued by his non-Bollywood persona. He’s known to have shared great friendships with the Gandhis and later Amar Singh. A person so successful, he’s still swayed by emotions. Success tends to isolate you but he’s still there for people.
My twin boys Shyam and Ishaan (aged 10) were born in Hong Kong. In India, they have met most actors. But their favourite actor is Amitabh Bachchan. They record every episode of KBC. When he says, “Bilkul sahi jawab!” they get euphoric and start clapping. That’s the Bachchan magic. He gives a lot of himself. Often women contestants blatantly gush over him. I asked him once about it. “It’s embarrassing but what to do!” he smiled. But he will never brush them off. Other actors are known to manhandle photographers but never him. There’s a nazakat, an old world sanskar about him. As a speaker on motivational skills, I’d list three things responsible for his success. Poise. Passion. Perseverance. Today’s generation doesn’t understand the value of a long innings. Longevity is the hardest thing to attain for an artiste. He has achieved that. Success is not about what critics say or box-office collections. It’s about relevance. Even the most brilliant lose that. He’s gone beyond the label of a ‘superstar’. He leaves an impact on whatever he touches. His sex-appeal lies in his success, in his honesty, in his attitude to serve – to entertain. And that’s also what lends him that inexplicable aura.