INTERVIEWS : Amitabh Bachchan

Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, looking dapper in a red shirt and black evening jacket, every inch Mr. Samarjit Singh Talwar aka Sam, his colourful character in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, took out time from his busy Yashraj studio shoot in the midst of the Rock N Roll Soniye song, and gave MSN India and MovieTalkies an exclusive interview. Excerpts:

How excited are you about Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna?
I am extremely excited and quite charged before this important release. It is a movie from Dharma Productions with whom I share a great relationship. I am very proud of the fact that I played the lead in the first film that was made by Dharma Productions, Dostana. So our relationship started with their very first film. And since then it's been a very memorable journey with films like Agneepath, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and now Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. Sadly, we have lost Mr. Yash Johar, owing to which the responsibility of production and carrying on this great banner is now on the shoulders of Karan; it is admirable how well Karan has been able to manage, control and take the responsibility of this whole film. I wish him all the very best and hope he continues to succeed in all his future endeavors.

What attracted you to the script of this film?
When Karan Johar comes and offers you a film, you don't get attracted to the script! You do the film because it's a Dharma Productions film with Karan Johar as director, and I would lie if I say that it wasn't true in this case as well. I have great faith in Karan. He has worked on several scripts before and has done marvelously well. So when he comes with a script, you know for sure that he is not going to offer you something that will not suit you or will not be liked by you. So we do not question him. Yes, later when we heard the script we were amazed by his capacity to write, his capacity to invent and his immense capacity to feel the pulse of the audience.

What's special about Karan that makes him the most sought after director in Indian cinema?
Like I just said, he has a fabulous and almost unmistakable feel of what the audience likes and his success graph is huge, proving it beyond doubt. Feeling the audience's pulse could be one of the things involved, but remember that audiences grow, time passes and things change. But to move with the changing time and taste is the special quality that Karan has.

Something that you don't like about Karan...
I don't like the amount of respect that Karan gives me (smiles). I get embarrassed when he meets me and touches my feet, but then this is his upbringing, and this is the dignity and respect that he has for people.

Share a little on the character you play in this film...
This is the kind of character which perhaps I have never played before. He has lost his wife and has a son. His relationship with his son is that of a friend, and he is extremely fond of life. Whatever he does, he does openly, freely and in front of his son. That is the grace, the dignity and the honesty that he displays. Some of his motives might be frivolous in nature but it is justified by the fact that he is virtually a bachelor. But because of the fact that he has a great relationship with his son and they both understand each other, there is also a deeper meaning to this association. So even though he may be frivolous in some of his activities, he is always sober, patriarchal and dignified, never hesitating to offer his wisdom and advice - a very good mix.

This is perhaps the greatest ensemble cast ever put together in Indian cinema; tell us something about your co-stars and their characters?
Well, there is Shah Rukh and Preity playing husband and wife. And what can you say about Shah Rukh Khan, he is a nice human being, a tremendous artiste, a great companion on set and a fine co-artiste. He is unselfish and a great co-coordinator - he makes sure that everybody understands the moment; he is very helpful to his co-artistes and makes sure that the scene comes across well which is quite unusual for someone in his position. Preity Zinta is a lovely lady. She has done exceptionally well because it is a difficult role and she has not done anything like this before. Rani is a tremendous artiste as has been evident in the past few years, doing some extraordinary films and this film is no exception. She is playing Abhishek's wife and the turmoil and the subsequent drama that follows has been played very well by her. Abhishek is my son and it would be unfair to talk about him because people might feel an element of bias from my side. But I do feel that Abhishek is growing fast and growing well. There are moments in the film that are extremely well executed by him and I feel proud of him; but as parents we want them to grow more and more and do better and better. Each step that he takes is towards a positive direction. So at the end of the day I am very proud of the way he is growing up.

How was the shooting experience in New York?
Wonderful! Karan and his production company are great spendthrifts. They spoil you with their care and attention. I have never worked in a production that takes care of their artistes in this manner - where they stay, what their conveniences are. Whatever our requirements, they made sure that everything was in place. It was simply marvelous, much more than what we actually needed or desired. But that's Karan! He lives life a little larger than what most of us do and that is projected in his films as well.

We learn that Karan has tried to capture all seasons in New York...
I was there for a very short period in the month of October. So I can talk only about that... it was cold and a pleasant environment to work in.

The music of the film has grown since its launch and has become very popular. Any favorite tracks close to your heart?
Yes I like the Sufi track, Mitwa, sung by the Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali. I think it is wonderfully composed and beautifully sung, it has a great lyrical quality.

The most touching moment in the film?
I have not had a chance to see the film in its entirety. Perhaps I would have been in a better position to talk about it after I have seen the film. But the scenes I have seen and have been a part of, with Abhishek as my son, are touching; I think there are moments between Shah Rukh and Preity, there are moments between Abhishek and Rani - each of these relationships have their share of tender moments. They have been so wonderfully placed script-wise in the film, which may look a little too bold for the common man, but I think that the manner in which it has been placed will nullify all the negative thoughts that may come in one's mind. So I love the way they have been spaced in the film. They are all justified, both the actions, whether positive or negative, and I think that's the beauty of this film.

Does the film carry any message when it comes to relationships?
The kind of message that Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna conveys has to be looked into more maturely. Marriages, as it is said, are made in heaven, but not all of them are and we know that sometimes they don't work. What this film tries to say is, if a marriage does not work, it is better to deal with that situation in a mature fashion rather than continue to live in an atmosphere that is not conducive to being together. It is a very bold thought which most people involved in failed marriages think about, but do not want to act on. I think this is one film which will provoke them to do just that.