Articles related to: Amitabh Bachchan - Page 2

By Subhash K Jha

Deepa Mehta sneaked into Mumbai for just one day for a series of press conferences promoting Water which finally releases in India on 9 March. But she found time to meet up with the Big B at his office Janak to ink a deal.

Yes, Deepa and the Big B are working together!

It looks like Mr Bachchan's earlier stance on the redundancy of an international career is going for a toss. Whether he wants it or not, international filmmakers are ready to take his awesome stardom to the West in a big way.

After Mira Nair who signed him for her Hollywood opus Shantaram, it's Deepa who has roped in the mighty Bachchan for Exclusion. Earlier entitled Kamagata Maru, this true-life tale of a ship that took a group of illegal Indians to the shores of Canada in the early part of the 19th century, will feature the Big B alongside John Abraham.

Says Deepa, "Mr Bachchan and I met in Toronto when he was there to promote Karan Johar's film ( Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna). I was there with Water. He was interested in Exclusion. Now we met again at his office on Friday and he has said yes. I'm too delighted for words. It's been a dream to direct him."

Amitabh Bachchan speaks to Subhash K Jha on Eklavya.

Vinod Chopra and you seemed to have established a very special rapport.
He's a kind humanbeing, and very passionate about his work. He has a keen eye for aesthetics. He creates an atmosphere conducive to good work. We waited thirty years to work together. All directors must work towards building a rapport with their actors. Eklavya is an intriguing film.

The visuals may suggest a mythological or a period film. But Eklavya is modern contemporay thriller. It's set in today's Rajasthan.

Eklavya is a very short film….
It's just about two hours long. That's fine. You don't need too much time to spread out a dramatic thriller. Every film has its own rhythm.

You've been giving TV interviews on Eklavya in super-cool sun-glasses?
Oh those were for a particular reason. I had been shooting the whole time for Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay. The role of Gabbar requires me to wear contact lenses. These left me with blood-shot eyes and no choice but to wear sunglasses for the interview that followed the shooting.

Vinod Chopra insists Eklavya is your best performance.
That's his viewpoint. I don't agree with him. True, I've never done anything like this film. I did have a cameo in Shah Rukh Khan's Paheli where I was a similarly dressed. But all told my physical appearance is very different in Eklavya.

You hated the beard, didn't you?
It's such a pain! It was an absolute pain. Once you stick on the beard with gum it just restricts your facial movements and irritates you. And you lose your facial movement. God bless Pran Saab. He's a master with beards.

And he managed to work so wonderfully with them.Vinod and I have agreed that if I'm required to wear a beard in my next film with him everyone else on the crew would've to do the same.

Does that apply to Vidya Balan to?
Provided she's part of the next film

You had to recite lengthy dialogues in sync sound.
That was tough. But when you have to do something, you do it. The false beard made the dialogues difficult. Vinod Chopra suggested I take six months off and grow a real beard. That's the level of commitment. But my other commitments do not allow me the luxury of changing my physical appearance.

But others in Eklavya went out of the way. Sanjay Dutt cut his hair. Jackie Shroff grew a beard. It would've taken me a couple of years to grow the beard that was required to play Eklavya.

Most of the Eklavya cast is new to you.
Except Sanju. He has a unique personality. You could put him in any circumstance, his presence and personality takes care of everything. He's one of the most lovable persons in the film industry.

He's adopted Abhishek as his younger brother. I know Sanju from the time I came to Mumbai to become an actor. Dutt Saab and Nargisji had taken me under their wings, nurtured me…

And Saif?
He has evolved beautifully. Thank God we saw his potential bloom in Dil Chahta Hai. Subsequently he has improved with every project right up to Omkara. It's a great joy being with actors like Saif. The amount of care and dedication that they give to their roles is wonderful.

And Vidya….
I've a special soft corner for her. She's absolutely marvelous and so wonderfully natural. She's so endearing to watch on screen. When I saw her in Parineeta for the first time in Amsterdam I wanted to look only at her and nobody else on screen…with all due respects to the rest of the cast.

Your assessment of Vinod Chopra as a director.
Vinod is very progressive in his thought. He has a very high regard for Indian cinema and wants to take cinema to another level. All his efforts have been directed to taking our movies abroad. All his films have a truly international stamp. His penchant for perfection is truly laudable.

When he'd come to narrate his script he brought his writer, music director and editor along. He encourages inputs from everyone. That's a great quality. We had many discussions on how my character should dress talk and behave. Sometimes he'd call in the middle of the night. He's a man totally involved with his craft.

One day when he was home he found my father's translation of Shakespeare lying on the table. He was surprised that my father had done this. He took the book home, read it and said my character Eklavya should conduct himself through the images described in my father's translations. All creativity is inter-connected in his mind.

Did you adopt your father's Shakespearean imagery in your performance?
Not me. But it was part of Vinod Chopra's writing process in deciding the attitude that Eklavya would adopt. Vinod accidently met Peter O'Toole. The next day he invited Peter O'Toole home and asked me to come and observe his 'Shakespearean' walk.

I couldn't go to Vinod's house…Vinod is continuously creating a creative pool. Only he could connect Shakespeare and Peter O'Toole with my character Eklavya.

How do the mentor Vinod Chopra and his most accomplished protge Sanjay Bhansali compare?
When during Black I saw Sanjay's detailing and passion I didn't know Sanjay had worked with Vinod for eight years. It was only after working with Vinod that everything fell into place. The time spent with Vinod has obviously rubbed off on Sanjay. Today Sanjay has his own subjects and style, Vinod has his own.

Finally the wedding date…
We're still in discussion. As soon we firm in we'll get them married.

By Subhash K Jha

Industry expresses concern about Saif...

Amitabh Bachchan: " I was at an awards function with Aishwarya when I came to know Saif had been hospitalized. We went immediately after the show to see him. He looked fine and cheerful…Investigations were on..I told him he must slow down …It's disturbing to see such a fine lad this way."

Arshad Warsi: "I think actors today are under a lot of pressure to deliver their best. They're constantly trying to perform at an optimum level. On top of work pressures we're constantly under public scrutiny. All of us actors try to balance our professional and personal lives to the best of our abilities.

Stress is bound to be there. So Saif, please take extra care of yourself…Relax, chill. You're precious to all of us. Hang in there. Lots of love.

Hema Malini: "I'd like to tell Saif to take it easy. I know that isn't easy. Even if you feel the need to slow down no one out here lets you. But Saif has to get selfish about his well-being. My humble advice to him is, grab time for yourself, find some peace and quiet. You've earned it."

Dino Morea: "It's really sad to hear Saif's unwell. I hope he gets well soon. The work load gets to all of us, no matter how much care we take of our health. It's easy for me to say Saif should slow down. But he's in his prime. And he needs to use this time to move ahead. This phase won't come back again."

Urmila Matondkar: "The high feeling of doing good work is so exhilarating that unknowingly one tends to over-work. I'd like to remind Saif that he's going through one of the best phases in his career. He needs to take it to greater heights. And for that he needs to be in good health. He should take the warning and look after himself."

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=13499