In conversation with Bachchan - Day 277

Respected Brother,

Sadar Pranaam,
Good to hear or rather read a post by none other than Amitabh Bachchan - the man of many moods several versatilities and above all too generous to be with us that he calls extended family. Good brother, very good of you to be available to all of us. How can I or anyone else on this blog ever repay the great presence of the most iconic face in the country on this important mission of your life. That you have stories to tell, that you share your experiences, discuss your travels, speak out your mind, share pictures from your daily life also try and put up news cuttings that you feel are important to you and sometimes even to India as a country. These episodes make much more of our day and a snese of belonging with the very best in India- the only one of its kind - the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Am I sounding a litlle sycophantic - so be it, I do not mind praising one man who truly and richly deserves what we write here.

Coming back to business as usual we must promote India for ourselves and it was in that aspect that I had discussed Port Blair of Andaman and Nicobar to Narayan on this blog. Actually, my love for the beautiful islands has more to do with the transition in me from a kid boy to growing into someone little more resposnsible. It was there that I grew up to be of help to the family in daily chores fo the family. I distinctly remember how I had to go from Junglee Ghat to Aberdeen Bazaar to do some weekly purchases. How on some days it used to get dark and I used to resort to the reciting of Hanuman Chalisa, sometimes in my mind and sometimes aloud to feel as if Hanuman ji was with me walking just behind me to knock down any evil spirit if it did cross my path. That put explicitly is nothing but faith. The faith in some powers that are there to support and protect us. Should I tell you how I would have felt when you sung the first song for Mr. Natwarlal, let us share it. I thought you were as much like me as I moved on those empty roads in Port Blair and that equated me with you in some stronger bondings that were already in place after Anand and Namakharaam. To be nostalgic about the past is good in itself to the extent that it gives us the courage to remember how difficult times were overcome, how difficult times can be overcome today as well as tomorrow, that there were always some days that brought us joy and others that did put us into some sort of test of our existence. That life is one big cycle of events which continuously keeps changing its dark and bright moments in almost every individual’s life. That to be able to enjoy the good times and forbear the tough times is the very synonymous of our existence on earth, it gives one a courage to tread the path which angels fear to tread!

Oh brother! I am sounding unduly philosophical in my approach. Let the atmosphere not be so dense and tense around our existence, we are all here with some purpose even if we do not envisage it or fail to realise it. Who could be a better example of the good and bad times than you or still better your reverend father Dr. Bachchan. I think his life was more fuller in that sense that he could so vividly put forth for others to read. Though I did find in his autobiography that the author at times did cross limit of sharing what could be shared, who am I to decide what he thought he needed to share with his readers. If nothing else you must immediately bring about little better editiion of his four volume AB maybe with forewords by you in English of explaining in essence the contents that one has to find in each volume. That you have lived some sixty years in his shadow looking forward to learn something new from his life was the greatest boon to the man we all know as the legendary star on this earth. Definitely these forewords could also have some thoughts on what ways did the poet influence you as a person, as an actor and as a human being!

I think I have put you to the sword asking of so much details, I hope you do not get angry with me for some reasons here. Though, as an individual you have the perfect right to the pangs of angst against some individuals and events as it is quite natural! Yet I feel that you are such a constructive person that if you could avoid being angry on such counts we may tend to gain much more from your life and also make ourselves a little better individuals! more useful for the society.

If you do find that I am crossing my boudaries and in anyway hampering your progress by way of writing these long and sometimes unthoughtful writeups, you should stop me from doing so!

Thinking of you and thanking you a lot
Abhaya Sharma, India January 27 2009 08:34 Hrs IST
Post Script: I never could see the live Republic Day Parade in my eight years of Delhi stay, though I was very close to being part of one as I attended a long preRD camp during my NCC days in college. It was not to be! I have no regrets for that! It is a part of life these successes and failures!