Prostate Cancer.

Leading cause of Cancer deaths among males.

Rana

I just searched for "Mahabharat," and this thread popped up. Was Rajkumar Santoshi really planning to make a film based on the epic? (Somehow, I don't recall the news.)

Amitabh Bachan as a box office draw was finished at least 15 yrs ago, if not longer. Has anyone paid attention to the intial taken by single starrers of Amitabh? The collections have generally been pathetic, even with some highly touted films. Basically a film like 'KALANK' would have had the same collections irrespective of Amitabh being in it or not. As hard as it is to digest, the fact is that even his own son is a much bigger BO draw today. The fact is, that Amitabh is mostly a media creation. Were it not for all the hype (over hype) created by the media, he would have long been finished after the intial popularity he gained from 'Kaun Banega Karorpati' had waned. I would like to clarify that none of this has anything to do with the respect I have for Amitabh Bachan as an actor or for that matter his past super stardom. But I certainly have no respect for him and his family for the way they flaunt his stardom and for the kind of associations (eg. Amar Singh, Mulayam Singh) they have made for their personal gains. I specially cannot stand Jaya Bachalan for the way she behaves and presents herself in public. Someone needs to remind her that her own achievements are very small and were it not for the fact that she was married to Amitabh no one would even give her the time of day, let alone put up with her rude, arrogant and demanding bhaviour.
The sad part is that this arrogance now clearly shows in Amitabh's performances as an actor which leaves his perforamnces far short of his abilities inspite of having tailor made roles for him.

I very much disagree that Amitabh Bachchan is no longer a "box-office draw." Agreed, the way he could fill seats during the 1980s cannot be matched (not even by the "reigning superstar of now," Shah Rukh Khan). Nonetheless, films are still very much attended because Amitabh Bachchan is in them. This is simply the reason that movies opt to include him in the cast. Armaan and (the atrocious) Hum Kaun Hai? are movies that would have been absolute flops without Bachchan, and this is why their filmmakers chose to tout his image as the main feature (which it most certainly was not). Bachchan was the main draw of Sarkar, of Ek Ajnabee, and of Family, and each film at least made a profit, and none would have sans Amitabh Bachchan. No, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna did not do well "because of Amitabh Bachchan"; it would probably have made almost as much money without his inclusion. Baghban, on the other hand, would likely have "just broken even" without the mega-star's presence.

As for Abhishek, I strongly disagree about his being a bigger draw than his father. Yes, his days have gotten better, but he still doesn't sell tickets the way Amitabh does.

"Media creation"? The "media," perhaps somewhat unfortunately, always play a large role is anyone's "stardom." Certainly, Abhishek Bachchan would be now the same "nobody" he was immediately after Refugee, were it not for his name's suddenly being plastered on evety page as a "hot new star."

I have no sense of how you go about utterly destroying Jaya Bhaduri's reptuation, casting her more or less to the bitch of the millennium. When has she been rude or impolite in a public setting? Further, Jaya has her own name and her own stardom, and though they, of course, can't compete with those of a super-star male in a male-dominated industry (during her time, and through to to-day) — let alone with those of the greatest star the world has ever known — they definitely have their place in the history of Indian cinema.

I, personally, feel that Amitabh Bachchan always puts his best foot forward, no matter his part is small or large. Bachchan was magnificent when he set out on his career, and his talent has shed not an ounce over the years.

AB definitely adds value to a film even today. I have respect for the way he picked himself up from his low comeback phase, and happy for him to regain popularity with KBC and financial wisdom from amar singh etc. If it wasn't for Jaya Bachchan's recommendation of AB for Zanjeer, we might not have had an Amitabh Bachchan. If his performances today can get a National Award (Black), i say keep going!
Happy Birthday Amitji!

BTW guys, this topic is 3 yrs old!

As soon as I typed it, I knew my post would touch some raw nerves here, but then again the truth is hard to face. No one is denying the abilities of Amitabh as an actor and thus the value he adds to a film artistically is not what is being debated. But in terms of value addition the Box office, his addition is only a little more than what the likes of Anupam Kher, Amrish Puri, Kader Khan etc. brought to a project in their hey days.

As for the high handedness of the Bachan family, specially Jaya, there are numerous occassions on which she has made a fool of herself in public, demanding things just because she thinks that she has some divine rights because after all, she is Amitabh's wife. The most recent incident being, when she created such a hue and cry about how she has been wronged and humiliated when disqualified from the Rajya Sabha membership by the Election Commisioner. I guess she just could not digest that the laws and rules applied to her 'divine' self too, all this fuss even after the Supreme Court of the country, ruled that she had broken the law and the rules pertaining to membership of Parliament and thus should be disqualified from the Rajya Sabha membership. Also let's not forget the even more recent incident, when she was screaming and shouting in a most unruly manner on television about how the government had reduced the security cover grade provided to Amitabh and his family. First of all, Amitabh's security grade had not been changed, only the number of security personnel had been reduced by a small percent. Secondly, why should Amitabh be provided security by the government? Why should the tax payer have to pay for the indulgence of this family? I am sure he can afford to spend on his own security if he really needs it, specially considering that between Jaya and Amitabh they are worth over a 1000 crores, a figure disclosed by the Bachans themselves. By the way, I wonder where all this wealth came from, considering that Amitabh was broke and his company had filed for bankruptcy just under a decade ago. I am sure he did not make the money from films, after all the math just does not add up. But then again associating with goons like Amar Singh does have it's advantages.

On that note a very nice interview with the man under discussion on his birthday. He still holds his sense of humour.....read on....

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1057847

ABsolute power

Tuesday, October 10, 2006 23:30 IST



Amitabh Bachchan, who turns 64 today, in a no-questions-barred interview with Khalid Mohamed.

Storms and squalls may lash the city, but he has remained rock steady through the 25 years (or more) I've been badgering him for interviews.

In fact, one of the perks of journalism is that he never ever breaks appointments, is as punctual as a morning rooster, doesn't make half a statement that is off the record, and is more grammatically spot-on in his answers than Messrs Wren and Martin.

Three months gone, no interview with Amitabh Bachchan, and this is a confession, I go cold turkey. If I need a peg, as they call it in journalese, there's always one, be it a Samson-strong performance, a controversy not of his asking, and yes, another year completed in the life of Big Boss.

He turns 64 today, he's taken casual leave from the shooting whirl. Before that I've landed up at Film City where he's in the midst of a photo-shoot for Ravi Chopra's upcoming Baabul. The foldable table in his vanity van has sheafs of papers, a DVD of a Clint Eastwood thriller, a paperback of Javier Moro's Passion India, Gucci reading glasses, a pack of mints and his constant companion, a laptop.

Mineral water quaffed, I ask of bossman:

Have you ever had a placid, uneventful year in your life?
I don't know why it's perceived that all sorts of events keep rocking me all year long. In any case, why shouldn't they? Like every working man, I would want every year to be eventful. There was a bit of a setback last November ,I was in hospital with an illness, but mercifully there has been recovery. Health-wise I'm doing well.

And workwise?
I've been working with Ram Gopal Varma, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. And of course, there has been the family association with Karan Johar whose Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna has been the recipient of tremendous adulation overseas. At the Toronto film festival, we could see the degree to which the world now acknowledges Indian cinema.

It's wonderful to be associated with fresh young talent. New names are making a qualitative difference, unusual themes are being welcomed. This marks a change not only in the mind-set of filmmakers but of the audiences who must be saluted for appreciating out-of-the-box cinema.

There has been a change in the way our films are being distributed and exhibited, most significantly because of the multiplex phenomenon. I'm fortunate enough to be alive at a time when the film industry is going through its most glorious phase.

Where do you see the qualitative


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difference?
Our cinema has always yielded remarkable films but they did not receive their due appreciation.. Today, quite a few of our films receive their deserved national and international recognition. Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho Munnabhai have become cult films, which are being emulated by youngsters, besides having an impact on the morals of the society. It's great that we are getting global attention and acknowledgement. I knew this would happen.

What about the relentless criticism of mainstream cinema?
I don't know whether the criticism has been to make good copy or to inspire filmmakers to improve their standards. Often films which have been panned by the critics have been loved by audiences. So, obviously someone's right and someone's wrong. When you weigh the options, there is no doubt that the people are always right, they are the ultimate arbiters of taste.

But like it or not, critics do affect filmmakers.
Yes, I'd like to think critics have driven filmmakers towards raising the bar of quality. There's a validity in the arguments of both.

Do you think about this uneasy relationship between the film fraternity and its critics?
I think about it only when I'm questioned on the subject. I certainly don't have introspective discussions about criticism at the dining table or at the studio with my colleagues.

All I can say is that I'm particularly delighted when our film fraternity is invited to western fora, like Karan is invited to lecture at the Wharton University in Philadelphia. I'm delighted when Krrish becomes a subject for analysis in American schools and colleges. There are serious debates on our cinema on national television.. where was all this in the past? Indian cinema was considered infra dig. But today, I'm going to a function hosted by Swiss consulate to honour the team of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. This a huge departure from what the world once thought of us.

Government delegations are inviting film personalities to shoot in their countries to boost tourism. We're called to Rumania, the Fiji islands. In the UK, as many as eight Indian films were being shot in London recently. Abhishek would just cross the street to my hotel for breakfast, we'd drop by on each other's sets frequently.

Are the Bombay movies drawing more attention because of the rising NRI audience or because of artistic improvement?
It's a combination of both really. Earlier, we didn't know the extent to which our films were commercially viable overseas. Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor are still revered. Meanwhile, the number of Asian immigrants has gone up.. they are now a part of the social milieu. They occupy responsible jobs at NASA, in medical and teaching institutions. They own grocery shops, run corner newspaper stores, the Asian migrant is everywhere.

The senior generation continues to admire the films of Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, K Asif, Mehboob Khan, V Shantaram. Raj Kapoor has had a great run. Hrishikesh Mukherjee is held in high regard.

Are there any filmmakers who have remained underestimated?
Oh, there are so many of them. To name a few, Dulal Guha, Raj Khosla, Nasir Husain, Satyen Bose, Ravi Tandon, Asit Sen and Vijay Anand.

To switch tracks, where do you get your tenacity? You've been hit by crises galore but there appears to be an amazing doggedness..
No, no, far too much is made of this. I'm in no exalted position, I'm no great fighter, there's nothing grand about me. When I have a job, I do it. Period.

But you've always fought back.
I haven't been in a battle. It's not as if there are two armies, retiring every evening to opposite sides of a river, which get up in the morning and then fight all over again.

You've never felt despondent during the low phases in your mid-career?
I've never felt despondent. One has to anticipate the fact that a crisis is normal. Otherwise life would be dull. One might as well be in heaven. Life's a cycle, the occasional crises are natural.

Take the instance of Rajesh Khanna. He never seemed to fight back.
It was his personal choice to turn to politics. And from what I read he's acting in movies, it's matter of every individual making his choices.

You've been making speeches at public gatherings of late. Doesn't that amount to getting political?
You've got it wrong. I've spoken at government programmes conducted by the UP government. Cash amounts are given as incentives to the girl child for education and to the unemployed youth of the state.

The girl literacy programme is called the Kanya Vidyadaan Scheme. I'm proud to be a part of a programme that aims at the awareness of the social and moral rights of women who comprise 50 per cent of the nation. The other concern is the unemployed youth in UP, they have to be motivated to secure employment. In my younger days, I've gone through that phase also, so I can understand how the unemployed feel. One needs a push towards excelling on the strength of sheer hard work.

All said and done, don't you end up allying yourself politically?
No, I do not. I was invited by the UP government to speak. In UP, the Samajwadi party is ruling. It is headed by Mulayam Singh. So, obviously he would be conducting the proceedings. Your readings are odious.

What is your view of UP today?
A considerable amount of work is being done by the Progress Development Council towards the improvement of roads, power and electricity. In terms of sugar production, UP has even overtaken Maharashtra.

You must have heard of the statement that UP today is, "Andher nagri chaupat raja" at a rival political rally.
No, I haven't.

Are you saying, then, that you aren't a political animal?
I'm not an animal and I'm not in politics. I'm an actor.

Okay, once an actor gets to zenith..how does he stay there?
If the people like you, you stay there. If not, you're forgotten. I don't work with any particular intent. Because I get work, I get a life. In the creative field, one has to be occupied, one has to work at one's craft constantly, every day is a day of learning. And since creativity is linked to one's physical aspect, one has to remain healthy and active. An actor has to be in control of his physical as well as mental faculties.

This year, so far, you've only had one release — Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna?
No, there was Family earlier on in the year but it wasn't welcomed by the public. I was in hospital when it was released. The film's idea was promising, perhaps there was something lacking in its execution.

Surely you must have been disappointed with Family after having worked with its director, Rajkumar Santoshi, in Khakee.
Yes, it was a little disappointing. Khakee was a better film.

How did you dignify the role of Sexy Sam in KANK?
Karan Johar would never portray an embarrassing character. So, I didn't have to difnify the role as such. Abhishek's character was the only one who was pristine and pure. Circumstantially, the rest of us were doing things which were morally risky.

My character may have looked frivolous on the surface. But in the opening sequence itself, it was made clear that when his wife was alive, he had been morally unquestionable. Then whatever he did, he was frank and open before his son.

The dignity was written into the part, he celebrates the day when he had first met his wife. And on his death-bed, he advises his daughter-in-law to go where her heart is..or else she would be depriving his son of the unconditional love he wanted from her. I'm not ashamed of the character at all, I'm cool about Sexy Sam.

That dining table scene in KANK between Shah Rukh Khan and you was reminiscent of a similar scene between Dilip Kumar and you in Shakti.
(Surprised) I don't know what you mean.

I know it wasn't intenional but the vibes between Shah Rukh Khan and you reminded me of the interplay between Dilip Kumar and you in Shakti.
It's my favourite scene in KANK, it was very well executed. But it was a dining table conversation, I don't see parallels with Shakti at all…Are you allright, do you need a drink of water?

Ha, ha. Is your role in Nishabd inspired by Lolita, a flipside of Sexy Sam?
Nishabd has been wrongly interpreted as a remake of Lolita. It is about how a man would behave when a much younger woman is attracted to him. There is no physicality, the film has delicate nuances which is quite a departure from the wild, underworld films associated with Ramu.

He does seem to be obsessive about dark and twisted relationships.
Dark? Twisted? No, in Nishabd he's dealing with a plausible situation. There are so many vivid examples of May-December attractions.

Has such a situation of a younger woman, obsessive about you, happened in real life?
Fans do express their adulation in letters and emails but that's it. Nothing serious.

Have you ever been stalked?
No, never.

You're pursued by every filmmaker in town though..and you have a couple of film releases by the year-end. Can we talk Eklavya?
I don't know if I'm even allowed to talk about Eklavya..it's about palace intrigue in good old Rajasthan. I play the royal security guard. Over the years, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's excitement to do a project together has been infectious but nothing had worked out. I wanted to work with him before I went to the grave.

Will Ravi Chopra's Baabul be a Baghban-like weepie?
I would not put it that way. The subject of Baabul is entirely different. It deals with the socially relevant subject of widow rehabilitation. I'm playing the part of Baabul, the young widow's father-in-law.

Would you have done the Bhojpuri film Ganga if it wasn't produced by your make-up man Deepak Sawant?
Frankly, no. Deepak has been with me for 30 years. I don't know how to converse in Bhojpuri which is very different from the Awadhi dialect. To dub my dialogue right, I had to do my homework carefully and consult linguists.

How many films are you working on currently?
Six I think. I've been shooting for Cheeni Kum being directed by Balki. It's a love story between an older man and a woman, not at all like Nishabd though. It's more sarcastic and wryly humorous. It's called Cheeni Kum because it's a sugarless romance.

You're portraying everyone from God to a genie.
God? Well, that's a small role in Rumi Jaffrey's film. He had written Bade Miyan Chote Miya…we were sitting on the sets one day and I'd made a verbal commitment that I'd do the first film he directed. So, I'm honouring the commitment.There's Bhootnath being directed by Vivek Sharma for Ravi Chopra.. the genie is in Aladdin directed by Sujoy Ghosh for Rohan Sippy.

Are you at all nervous about playing Gabbar Singh in Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay?
Nervous no..but of course comparisons with the original Sholay will be inevitable. Good and evil will be written about us by the media.

Are you ever likely to get the kind of role which challenged you in Black?
For that I will have to wait for Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) to come back to me, hopefully he will.

Would you say you're the equivalent of Sean Connery, Jack Nicholson and Clint Eastwood who continue to get excellent roles?
Why compare ourselves to the west? We're doing okay by ourselves. Novel script ideas and projects are underway. I'll be doing Rakeysh Mehra's Paanch Kaurav after he finishes Delhi 6 with Abhishek , Ramu's Sarkar 2 and Shoojit Sarcar's Johnnie Walker. Discussions on other projects are in the formative stage.

Err, does Johnnie Walker have anything to do with whisky?
Are you allright? No it doesn't.

Will you reappear on television?
I don't know. Twenty four episodes of KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepati) couldn't be shot because of my illness. We are under discussions with Star TV.

What are the stress points in your everyday life?
Life equals stress equals problems equals issues. I would be an abnormal human being if I didn't have problems.

What about the income tax situation?
That! Oh the tax issue will be eternal.

What's your typical day like?
Get up at 5.30 am, go to the gym, go to work, return home, do some office work from 9 pm to 10 pm, be with the family, mum's in hospital, so I try to be with her as much as I can.

What will your birthday be like?
It'll be just another day. With mum in hospital, there's no question of celebration. I have the day off, Jaya and Abhishek will be with me.

Do you feel your father is with you on special days?
My father's with me, 365x24x7.

What kind of gifts do you get from your fans?
I'm humbled by every little wish they send. From fans I've got my portrait engraved on a grain of rice, paintings, sculptures, and flowers which we subsequently send to the nearby hospitals.

Do you recall the Beatles song When I'm 64?
Of course. Imagine, many of us heard it when we were in our 20s..and now 64 is suddenly there. May be I'll get myself a Beatles CD and hear it all over again... to go down nostalgia lane.

mailto:khalid@dnaindia.net

Sanjay, I think it's a bit condescending of you to basically assume that people who disagree with you are doing so really only out of an unwillingness to "face the truth." More than a fair number of people (I, one of them) believe that Amitabh Bachchan is still not only intensely talented, but still an immense "box-office draw"; that, then, is the "truth" to this group. I find it beyond a misunderstood — instead, a preposterous — statement that Bachchan, now, is as profitable a name as were "Anupam Kher" or "Kadar Khan" in their heydays. No one went to watch a movie to see Kher or Khan, not just them. People still flock to see Amitabh Bachchan, still love to see him in commercials and on billboards, still shell out money for tickets to see him act on the big screen. Again, comparing Amitabh Bachchan now (or, really, at any point during his career), as a "draw," to Anupam Kher or Kadar Khan, is ludicrous.

Jaya has "embarrassed" herself — "made a fool of herself" — in public? Says who? I'm not even a "diehard Jaya-Bhaduri fan," and I smell the malodor of partiality and bias in your words. Jaya Bhaduri almost never gets negative publicity; in fact, in a recent article that followed the death of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, it was she who was praised, and Rekha marred (with which, too, though, I disagree). Jaya was "screaming and shouting" on television about the matter of Amitabh's security? I'd like a link to a clip of that broadcast, please. (I very much doubt that she went so nuts as you describe.)

How did Amitabh Bachchan make the money back? Not from his films? Bad math? I think you either have no idea as to how much money he's made from his films over the past few years (plus how much he must get in royalties for all his work), and even less of one of all the other work he's done: commercials, magazine ads., two television shows, various other endorsements, etc. I think it took Bachchan long enough to dig himself up, out of bankruptcy, and I find it insane to make so bold a claim as "he got the money illegally" without any evidence whatsoever.


I'll admit that I, too, am biased when it comes to Amitabh Bachchan; that is, as far as he, as an actor is concerned. What I'm attacking here is what I believe to be a strong misconception of Bachchan's current "star power," and an invalid appraisal of the characters of he and his family.

Great interview, Aarkayne — thanks for the link.

Sweetfriend, why have you quoted me in that post? Are you trying to refute a claim I made? I agree with what you just said, so I'm not sure how that could be tha case... .

Amitabh's previous record will never end his career..he will always be considered the best in bollywood

I agree that just about anyone needs some luck to be "successful," but, as for a "godfather," I don't think that Amitabh Bachchan ever really had one. Sure, nepatism and "favors" have been around forever; prior to the 1980s, in the Indian film industry, though, the Kapoors were pretty mcuh the only clan who could dominate the field and promote their own at any cost. It's nowadays that everyone's "kid" is breaking into films, largely only because of their fathers' (or, less frequently, mothers') names: Abhishek Bachchan, Tusshar, Esha Deol, Fardeen Khan — they're some of the ones who would have been nowhere if not for "godfathers." So, again, I agree that, without the "right" films at the "right" time, Amitabh Bachchan might not have been the "mega-star" he is to-day, but I wouldn't write him off as someone who got to where he is only because of "outside help."

LOL........are you for real with this statement "Anf Aetebar--Have you seen how Bachan had to struggle against John"........ i've heard ridiculous comments on AB.....but hey.....you wear the crown.

Sweetfriend....when you refer to a godfather...are you referring to when AB started out or his 3rd innings?
And more than Mohabbatein it was KBC that brought AB back!