'I am concerned about the future of our industry'

After Hrs: You have won three national awards at different junctures of your career (National award for newcomer in 1970 for Saath Hindustani, Agneepath in 1990 and Black in 2007). Each seems to have come to you at a point when you perhaps needed to reiterate your position…
Amitabh Bachchan: That's a good observation. I would agree with you at least on this point that they have come to me at certain junctures which have been different. I have never worked in this field to make a statement or to demarcate my position, if at all I have any. The question therefore of reiterating my position simply does not arise. Let me just say that I have been very fortunate that there were opportunities that came my way during various phases of my career, where my craft was challenged. I enjoyed that moment and tried to do justice to it. If an institution as qualified as the National Awards chose to decorate me for my efforts, I am grateful to them and humbly accept their recognition.

After Hrs: You have been bestowed with many titles…is there any particular title that makes you uncomfortable?
Amitabh Bachchan: Most of the titles and epithets that have been 'bestowed' (ha…sounds as though one is dealing with some kind of divinity!) upon me are media created and are amusing at times. Well…most of the times. I cannot do anything about it, much like I can do nothing about the media created word 'Bollywood'. But some titles have come from governments. From my own country and some from other. I humbly accept them and graciously thank them for it. That is all I am comfortable with in my response.

After Hrs: Are there times when you feel too much under pressure about the expectations that you have to live up to?
Amitabh Bachchan: Any profession that requires public endorsement will continuously be under the kind of pressure you talk of — that of expectation and being able to live up to it. But that is what makes the profession so exciting and live.

After Hrs: Would you agree that an extremely famous celebrity needs to be double faced?
Amitabh Bachchan: Double faced is taken as a rude expression in general parlance. Why would you assume that famous celebrities are double faced? The fault, if it can be called one, may lie with those that conjecture. So long as the private face does not distort or adversely affect the public face, I do not see any harm in the same person having such diverse attributes. They can all survive and serve with their duality.

After Hrs: It is said that being a grandpa changes your perception of life. Did that happen to you?
Amitabh Bachchan: I do not know if it changes your perception of life it certainly makes it more exciting...