Big B misses B-Town's 'innocent, fun' times on Holi

On Holi, megastar Amitabh Bachchan reminisced about not just some of the best days that he had playing the festival of colours, but also the times when the Hindi film fraternity members were used to "losing their status and position to become one" for fun.

The 73-year-old, who has been associated with some of the best Bollywood songs on Holi, shared personal photographs of his past celebrations of the festival with some of his colleagues from the film world.

He wrote: "It was such innocent and fun times... Just gangs of friends enjoying... Losing their status and position to become one with us and all... Such a humbling feel. Now... Well I don't know, everything has become so... Ah forget it... Love to all and happy holi."

Big B mentioned how Holi is a festival "played with such abandon and passion".

"The best ones were played at Allahabad when I was very young and Father was in University teaching in the English department. The students would all come over and over ribald songs and music our homes were a flush of great camaraderie and happiness," he added.

Delhi, he said, was a little "subdued, because it invariably fell in March when it was still quite cold and the water was a most unwelcome commodity", he stressed that in Kolkata it was "rage".

However, he shared that the Holi celebrations in Mumbai were memorable.

"The film industry and the best Holi celebrations at the RK Studios of Shri Raj Kapoor, where the entire industry assembled. After his passing, much of the gaiety and fun vanished for some time until, we decided to have these revelries at Prateeksha (the Bachchan house).

"They were massive and grand and fun and just full of all that Holi celebrations desired... Dunk-coloured water ponds and tubs, masses of dry colour and the wet all over... Bands and music groups from all parts of the country playing non-stop... Gallons of 'bhang', the traditional drink and the traditional 'gujiya' to eat."

For Big B, these were "just the most enjoyable times".

"But we have not celebrated it to that extent for some years now .. deaths in the family and illnesses have prevented us .. but I think it is time to restart it all over again .. perhaps next year."