![](https://dhenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Exclusive-On-Amitabh-Bachchans-81st-birthday-R-Balki-calls-him.jpg)
As a director who has worked with Big B on so many movies, can you pinpoint on that one thing which makes Amitabh Bachchan the phenomenon that he is?
Every time I switch on the camera, the first time I setup the shot for any film with him, every single time, I want to say, ‘how lucky we are to be living in this era of this star’ and to be honest, that’s the first thing I feel. Because I can see the personality, the creation that he is and all credit to him for preserving the creation. He’s not just this incredible creation, but he’s also responsible for preserving it for so long. Hats off to whoever created him, besides his parents who were divine forces. I rarely come across personalities like that who are just so complete, eternally cool, eternally aspirational. Very rarely does one see a phenomenon like that.
Despite his legendary status, he seems to have this child-like enthusiasm. Being an ad film-maker, do you have a tagline for him?
Yes I do. Amitabh Bachchan should be called Junior Bachchan, because, at the age of 81, he is acting with the enthusiam of an 18 year old and Abhishek should be called Senior Bachchan because at 46, he’s showing tremendous maturity as an actor. People who are doing such wonderful things for such a long time, they just don’t do it by accident, it’s a process of really keeping your love alive for the craft. Hence, even for a cricketer, even if he has scored a 100 in his previous game, they start over fresh in the new game. Just like the child has an excitement to play with a new toy, Mr Bachchan possesses the same passion.
Can you pick your top three favourite movies of Amitabh Bachchan?
I think, for me, it’s Trishul, Naseeb and Dostana. There’s a scene in the film where he’s just teasing Zeenat Aman on phone. I think it’s one of the most beautiful scenes. In those days, one never really saw such scenes or portrayal of heroes. I’ve told him many a times that I love that scene.
Do you have a favourite scene from all your films with him?
I can’t just pick a favourite scene but ‘Cheeni Kum’ is my favourite of all his work with me because the film was written for that aspect of his personality which I love the most – the poker face sarcasm. A lot of scenes from the film reflected that particular persona of Mr Bachchan. I also liked his cameo in ‘Ki And Ka’ where he gives that look to Jaya ji and Arjun (Kapoor). Those are my favourite moments. I loved most things I’ve done with him. I loved his look the most in ‘Shamitabh’. I thought he looked like a million dollars in that movie. Actually, I will have to search hard for what I don’t like about any of his work.
How do you look back at your journey with him over the years? Did you go from being a fan to being his friend, if one may say so?
I always look at him as the legend. I look at him only as a fan and I’ll never stop looking at him that way. I just want to be his fan because you can’t be friends with Amitabh Bachchan, okay? I feel it undermines Amitabh Bachchan. You get very few legends like that who you can be a fan of, for the rest of your life. Why would you want to be a friend? You can be friends with lots of people, but you can be a fan of very few. I would like to call myself a ‘fan’ always because a ‘friend’ is a very loose and insulting word for Amitabh Bachchan. I don’t want to be immodest by saying that I’m friends with him.
While everyone knows he’s a superstar and a legend. Is there something not many people know about him?
I’ve just been lucky that whenever I’ve approached him with a request of doing a role, he has so far, always said okay. But he’s always seeking and subjecting me to a lot of things and discussions. He will do something only if he likes the role. He’s very particular about what is written in the script for him. Of course, he does a million favours for everyone in the industry, but for me he is The Amitabh Bachchan and there can’t be any other creation like him. While he’s extremely kind to most people and warm, he’s also absolutely frank. He is more frank with people he likes. If he knows you a little better and he likes you a little better, he can even fire you and we all love it. It feels so lovely when Amitabh Bachchan is firing you!
Please continue…
Once he was firing everyone on the sets of ‘Shamitabh’ and I asked him, ‘why are you shouting?’ He just turned around and said, “I’m in character.” (Laughs). But the beauty of our actor-director relationship is that we are both frank with each other. He doesn’t mince his words. He doesn’t hesitate to tell me if he doesn’t like something and even though I’m one of his biggest fans, if I hesitate to tell him something, then I’m undermining the star he is and won’t be able to do justice to him in the film. It’s a great space to be in wherein, you can tell something to a person and you know they won’t misunderstand you for anything other than what that is!
Abhishek Bachchan On Being A CARBON COPY Of Jaya Bachchan, Big B’s DRUNK Scene | Ghoomer Interview
Also See: Best Hindi Movies of 2023 | Top 20 Hindi Movies of 2023 | Latest Hindi Movies