NEWSMAKER
One from the heart
SYEDA FARIDA
|
As his blog completes one year, Amitabh Bachchan says that it was started to communicate directly with his admirers and that its content is dictated by the feelings of the moment.
|
In sync with the times: Amitabh Bachchan.
Main hoon unke saath, khadi jo seedhi rakhte apni reedh.” Powerful words by the late Harivansh Rai Bachchan at the onset give you the added incentive to enter the blog of Amitabh Bachchan. Ever since the Big B started penning one, a year ago, it has been quite the talking point. One doesn’t often get a chance to have a dekko in the day of an actor such as Amitabh Bachchan. Bollywood buffs who swear by his 1970s and 80s flicks can vouch for the fact that there were people from different parts of the country queuing up in front of his bungalow from the wee hours of the morning to have a look at their favourite hero.
As for Bachchan, he has been recreating his avatar — from an angry young man to an endearing game show host, to the reigning star that he is today. He has been in sync with the times. And how… If he made the dialogues of the “Sholay” memorable in the 1970s, Big B today tugs at the heartstrings of GenX and his other fans with lucid daily notes to his extended family, EF as he calls it, on his blog on Big Adda.
There are poignant pages as he empathises with a 19-year-old terminally ill artist. And there is nostalgia too, a mention of the film songs that he heard from his hit flicks as also of Rajendra Kumar, Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna on Hindi Power, the Malay FM radio “as I was driving up to Penang from Kuala Lumpur,” he says. A pleasant read, from the monsoons in Allahabad, his schooling in convent to his jet-setting lifestyle today, simple and soothing on the mindscape, Amitabh Bachchan’s blog gives you the warmth of listening to the head of Bollywood’s first family. And he takes the time after his hectic shoot in Malaysia to give us the bigger picture behind the blog.
Why and how did you take to blogging?
Blogging started off as a lark. Had read and heard about this facility, was anxious to know how it worked. I was in the middle of finalising a website for the family with BigAdda and since that process was going to take time, asked them whether there was a medium that could be initiated to communicate with fans. The blog (http://bigb.bigadda.com/) was the outcome and here we are today at over 300 days of continuous everyday posts.
How do you choose the topics for your entries or is it free flowing arbitrary content?
There is no particular design or intent behind each day of my blog. When I open my computer to reach out to the respondents, or EF as I now call them, my Extended Family, I write what my heart says and feels that moment.
Do you plan to upload pictures of places you see on the blog such as Penang?
I generally do put up photographs of places I am at or if there are visuals that are of interest. I was unable to post any of Penang. I started work early when it was still dark and finished late when it had got dark.
Do tell briefly about your film that’s been shot in Penang…
The film is “Paa”, as in an endearing form of addressing your father. It stars Abhishek, Vidya Balan and myself. It is being directed by R. Balki who directed me in “Cheeni Kum”, that delightful film two years ago. Balki is a creative genius from the ad world. This is his second film. Our director of photography is from the south too, another genius, PC as he is commonly called, P.C. Sriram and we shall be having music from the great Ilayaraja, also from Chennai. That is all I am authorised to speak about the film at the moment.
Your blog begins with your father’s quote. What has been your favourite pick from his work?
It is customary and traditional in our way of life to seek the blessings of the elders before we venture out to do something new. My father’s quotes are his blessings to me in his absence. For a litterateur of his standing and importance who has given over 70 books of his creativity to the world both in prose and poetry and in academics, it is impossible to give a favourite pick. To me every written word of his is historic and of immeasurable value.
Has anyone else in your family taken to blogging as well?
No one else from the family has taken to blogging.
Do you have plans ahead of doing a column in a newspaper?
No plans of doing a column in a newspaper whatsoever. I am not qualified for the job. My writing skills are at best ordinary, a quality least desired in a column in a newspaper. I had never ever imagined that bigb.bigadda.com would become this big, and the pun is unintended! Naturally, it has been a most rewarding experience, both technically and creatively. The idea was to be able to converse with those who had shown admiration towards my work and had expressed a desire for direct communication. The blog accomplished that. I am happy that we are close to completing a year and happy that there will be a designed opportunity to be able to meet the respondents personally over lunch.
The contest
On the occasion of the first anniversary of Bachchan’s blog, Big Adda is holding a contest where the winner gets to lunch with Big B. Contestants have to register on Bigbfanclub.bigadda.com. At the first level, there will be a question from the content in the blogs. Next, a participant has to guess and upload Big B’s favourite on-screen character of himself and finally he/she has to guess the movies to which the reel-life scenes uploaded belong to. The contest closes on April 23.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
