By Subhash K Jha
Posted On Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 02:59:02 AM


An over-worked Amitabh Bachchan has been enjoying a well-deserved, but enforced sabbatical. His friend Amar Singh’s illness has prompted Mr Bachchan to take a long-overdue sabbatical from his work. And now he seems to be in no mood to return to work in a hurry.

For the first time in so many years, Mr Bachchan is really taking it easy, and that too at a time when he can ill afford to do so. But then Mr Bachchan is very clear about one thing. He has gone to Singapore to be by his friend’s side.

One of the producers awaiting Mr Bachchan’s return is Pritish Nandy. In Nandy’s film Actor he portrays just that, an actor. It is the first assignment that Mr Bachchan will take up after he returns from Singapore.

The film is set to go on the floors. Pritish Nandy, who recently visited Amar Singh and Mr Bachchan in Singapore, says he was pleasantly surprised by how relaxed Mr Bachchan seemed. Nandy tells us gladly, “Amar Singh has recuperated as much he could, considering the seriousness of his illness. But Mr Bachchan seems in no mood to leave his friend’s side right away. It’s almost like he has withdrawn into a cocoon for a while. And we at Pritish Nandy Communications have no problem waiting for Mr Bachchan. It’s wonderful to see him so relaxed and stress-free after years.”

It isn’t certain at the moment how long the sabbatical will last. According to those close to him, Mr Bachchan is completely enjoying his time off. And surely, he has earned himself this holiday from work.

Singapore, July 30/31, 2009 Thu/ Fri 2:50 AM

There has been an incident at the shooting of ‘Ravana’ in the forests of Kerala. Abhishek and Aishwarya were to do an action sequence with an elephant. Aishwarya was to be on it and minutes before the shot was to be taken the elephant went beserk. Gored his ‘mahout’ with his tusk, wrapped him around in his trunk and smashed him on the ground and then trampled on him. He then went mad around the sets sending everyone, unit member cast and crew running for cover into the forest.
After a couple of hours when they all emerged they discovered the elephant blocking the road to the Hotel. The unit and all concerned then drove away from the scene to a remote forest bungalow where there was no contact. After a few hours with the help of the police and forest guards and a vet, the elephant was subdued by firing nuetralizing injections into him. It took several hours before the area was declared safe to travel and Abhishek and Aishwarya were able to reach their Hotel by about 3 AM. Frightening !!
Abhishek and Aishwarya are now safe and out of harms way. The unit has decided to cancel further shooting and have shifted to OOTY - the picturesque hill resort in Tamilnadu.
It has been another anxious day. Sitting away from home, distanced from loved ones, it is torturous to hear such incidents and be unable to do anything.
Leela Naidu that lovely and beautiful actress of limited films in the 60’s, married into the Oberoi family and later to that writer poet Dom Moraes, passed away a day before Gayatri Devi. She had worked in some very meaningful cinema of the black and white era. In particular one remembers her in a film with Sunil Dutt saheb made on a real life incident that took place in Bombay about the Nanavati trial, where a senior naval officer had been involved in killing his wife’s paramour. ‘Anuradha’ was another film, delicate and middle path in which she had worked.
The first promo of ‘Aladin’ as promised has been put up. I do hope that you are able to access it and if you do, let me know what you think of it.
There has been surprise and concern on the quality of my content yesterday. It has been looked upon as disturbing to some and too abstract to others. This has reference to the last three paragraphs. I admit that they have aptly expressed what the state of my mind was at the moment. I will not deny the presence of a dark phase at that given hour. But I write with heart and honesty. I write what I sense is within me. It is not essential that all that is within me shall be all that I write and I do not concern myself with that. But I cannot be challenged on the purity of expression and intent. It shall perhaps never be possible for all to judge or assuage the purpose of those words and as to why they were used. It is at times difficult for me as well to say why. But it is there in a public cyber world and I never shame myself from putting it out.
Strife and struggle have become an integral part of human existence. There will be moments when life shall be disappointing and without reason. But, Shweta my daughter sent in a wonderful quote on PING and the BlackBerry ~
‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade !!’
So I squeeze out the juice from the citrus, mix it with the bubbly soda of life, sprinkle in some sweetness and devour it, quenching my thirst of wellness.
We must not accept to be put down. We must show strength against the oppressor and battle indignities to save the dignity of our loved ones.
In closing, a prayer for Jasmine of London for her Mother who battles a severe health condition. May she recover rapidly, with all the wishes from FmXt..
Love,
Amitabh Bachchan

By TNN
Posted On Monday, August 17, 2009 at 06:52:17 PM

Already coping with a bad back, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's flu and friend Amar Singh's illness, the slanging matches on his blog have upset the Bollywood actor further.

He writes, "A few hospital visits with my friend for routine checks and balances, a stop over at the chemist store en route, to get some tie ups for the back, the gym and the pedometer racing away to near 8,500 steps, to the room to respond to comments and a heavy heart to witness a few familia extendum, using the platform of this medium to get personal and ugly with each other."

"And each hashed comment that I came across as I scrolled down to the last, that indulged in a slang match, felt like a stab in my precarious rib cage."

He states, "So here are the options. Either you stop or I stop."

Earlier, writing about actor Aishwarya's illness, he said she has "taken ill and is down with chest infection and flu like symptoms. Had a high fever yesterday but is settling down today."

"Its worrying to be so far away from children and not be there to look after them. Yes, they are mature and married and responsible, but children will always remain children," a concerned Bachchan added.

He is 66 years old but no actor in Bollywood blogs as regularly as him. He keeps connected to his fans and well wishers ever since his blog was launched. But he has threatened to stop blogging if readers continue to post harsh comments. Yes, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is visibly disappointed with some comments.

"A few hospital visits with my friend for routine checks and balances, a stop over at the chemist store en route, to get some tie ups for the back, the gym and the pedometer racing away to near 8,500 steps, to the room to respond to comments and a heavy heart to witness a few familia extendum, using the platform of this medium to get personal and ugly with each other,” wrote Amitabh on his blog.

And each hashed comment that I came across as I scrolled down to the last, that indulged in a slang match, felt like a stab in my precarious rib cage. So here are the options. Either you stop or I stop,” he added.

Well, readers should stop posting harsh comments and let the superstar pour his experience and wisdom to his fans. His fans need him as much as he needs them!

One has to pay a huge price for name and fame. Being in the public eyes, celebrities have to watch their every step and spell the right word for the media always tries to create gossip and controversy out of them. The Bachchan family is the latest victim.

Amitabh Bachchan's comment on his blog that his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Bachchan (wife of Abhishek Bachchan) was down with flu was blown out of proportion by the media. Many leading media houses reported that Aishwarya was having swine flu. Now, Amitabh has hit back saying that the media reports were rubbish.

“That little mention of Aishwarya’s indisposition has created a media hurricane. Headlines screaming she has swine flu have appeared along with other national news. The paucity of sensationalist material has created a herd mentality towards interpreting that gentle whiff of air into a storm of immense proportions. Getting the news out first has precedence over research and authentication. No, she does not have swine flu. She has improved and is much better and ready to resume work by tomorrow or the day after. I would have kept her home for another week,” wrote Amitabh on his blog.

Now, Amitabh has announced clear and loud that Aishwarya is not having swine flu!

The highly ratedCheeni Kum director Balki is releasing his extremely unusual role reversal drama Paa on November 13 as a tribute to Children’s Day.

"It’s a film about the child within man, and the man within the child. And I can’t think of a better tribute to the child than Children’s Day,” says Balki who completed shooting the film in England recently.

After shooting his two feature films Cheeni Kum and now Paa in England, Balki wants to return to the country again.

“We shot Paa in my favourite location England. Throughout the stint in Cambridge we were at sea, never on land. I love shooting in London . I shot my first two films there. If I had my way, I’d shoot all my films there.”

Balki took up the challenge of projecting Big B like never before. “In Cheeni KumI really didn’t have to do anything. I made him play himself. Here in Paa, I had to bring out that child within him which has always been there. We tapped that part of him. It wasn’t easy for Amitji to play a child at heart. Fortunately Abhishek and Vidya Balan too are extremely intelligent actors. She has played such a charming mom. Throughout the film they behave as if Amitji is their son. For Abhishek this was his chance to get even with his dad.”

Any regrets about not casting Tabu again? “After what she did with Amitji in Cheeni Kum it wasn’t possible to cast her in Vidya’s role.”

Balki is not bothered with how the audience will accept the two actors in reversed roles. “There’s no point in making a film, if it doesn’t push envelopes. I won’t do a film that doesn’t challenge me and my actors.”

Another ongoing leitmotif in Balki’s cinema is the music of Ilaiyaraja. “He’s God. He has been a major source of inspiration. I don’t think India has known a better music composer. Sadly one-half of India has not heard him enough.”

For Cheeni Kam, Balki specifically asked Ilaiyaraja for tunes from his Tamil films. “I wanted Hindi moviegoers to hear those times. Even in Paa, I’ve transposed some of his South Indian tunes into Hindi. It’s not that important to be original . It’s more important to do what you believe in.”

Balki is miffed that the Big B’s Progeria look has been leaked out. “Fortunately that’s only a part of his look. No one came on the set to see how he looks on camera. The makeup person was given a computer-generated picture of Amitji. He improvised a lot on that, and added traits from real Progeria patients.”

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who once hosted the popular reality TV show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' on Star TV, is now coming back to small screen again after a long time. The Big B has confirmed that he will host the third season of Bigg Boss on Colors TV, the Indian version of the popular 'Big Brother'. Bachchan will replace actress Shilpa Shetty, who hosted Bigg Boss in its previous season.

The happy news about Amitabh hosting the show was officially announced to the media at the Mariott Hotel in Singapore. Amitabh Bachchan will play 'pop psychologist' to those in the house. The Big B's intention is to add 'the human element' to the reality show. The show is expected to launch some time in October. The celebrity contestants will be locked inside the house for three months.

"We need to analyse the minds of those on the show and reach out to as many people as possible through it. On eviction day, I will discuss the thought process of that particular contestant,'' Times Of India quoted Amitabh Bachchan saying about the show. "I don't claim to give gyaan or suggest that I can calm things down. My job is only to analyse why people behave in a certain manner in the house,'' he added.

Rajesh Kamat, the CEO of Colours TV, said that Bachchan was selected to make the show more appealing to people from the ages 4 to 64. " Bigg Boss last season was hugely popular. This time we wanted to make it more broadbased and pan-India so it appeals to people from the ages 4 to 64. Once we decided on Amitabh Bachchan , we worked out the pop-philosopher role for him. The idea was to deconstruct the emotions of those in the house and initiate discussions where we can keep the audience engaged,'' Times Of India quoted Rajesh Kamat saying about picking Amitabh.

However, Shilpa Shetty has acknowledged the news by saying, "Amitji will host the next season of BIG BOSS and people want to know how I feel. This piece of news didn't come as a surprise as I was told before by the Creative head of the channel, and I feel happy that they've got him to say yes. I know he will do a fantastic job.”

Shilpa Shetty said that she would definitely be watching it. She believes that 'the channel has the right to do what's best for the show so that's that'. She justifies her departure from the show by saying, "Also I will be shooting the whole of October and November in the UK, so I couldn't have done it this time, but nevertheless I will miss Big Boss as it has been an integral part of my life and I enjoyed doing it last season."

Indian television can’t get any bigger than this. As the channel Colors’ CEO Rajesh Kamat puts it, “It’s Bollywood Ka Boss meets Bigg Boss.” Amitabh Bachchan has agreed to play a very special role in the third season of Bigg Boss, which begins in October. This is the Big B’s second television appearance after the spectacular Kaun Banega Crorepati. And hence crucial. Negotiations between Big B and Colors were frantically on, until late this week.

Finally on Friday the Colors team headed for Singapore to announce Big B’s presence on the show. Says Kamat, “Why Mr. Bachchan? You may well ask. After the success of Season 2 we needed to take Bigg Boss to another level. We went to the drawing board and concluded that the only way we could take the show higher was by introducing the concept of the Pop Philosopher. Earlier, we had the anchors commenting on the goings on in the Bigg Boss. Now the discussion would move to a dinner-table introspective level. Why were the contestants doing what they were doing…what were their motivations? Etc. We needed a prophetic voice that would be heard and taken seriously. Quite frankly if Mr. Bachchan hadn’t agreed, we’d have scrapped the concept of the pop-philosopher on the show.”

Filmmakers and scriptwriters are making a beeline for Singapore. But does Big B’s second major foray after KBC after years of being offered fiction and non-fiction mean he’s now in the mood to lean towards the home medium for a while?

“Not at all,” says the Big B. “I finished my pending film assignments and then came here. My trip to Singapore was planned well in advance. The next lot of films is crystallizing. In the meanwhile, I took on Bigg Boss because they thought I could be a convincing voice of reason on the show. I’m not the host or the anchor. I’ve a totally different function as a commentator who could connect with audiences without talking down to them.”

The icon surprises you by saying he’s nervous. “You’d think KBC was harder because that was my first time on television. But no. Every time I do anything new and that means starting a new film project too, I get butterflies in my stomach. I’m happy about this show because like KBC it has been conceptualized and created by the best minds, and some of the finest psychologists. So I’m in safe hands.”

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is trying to figure out a way to shoot for Bigg Boss 3. Big B is currently in Singapore to take care of his friend, Amar Singh who is undergoing treatment for his prolonged prolonged illness. The actor thus has no plans to return to Mumbai which has put the Bigg Boss 3 producers in a little bit of fix. A source close to the production house has said that Amitabh will be flying in and out for the shooting of the shows.

This will be a second innings for Big B on the small screen after having hosted two seasons of Kaun Banega Crorepati whose success hasn't bee repeated by any other show since then. Big B not only ventured into the small screen but paved the way for many Bollywood stars to appear on the small screen and host the show. Amitabh replaces Shilpa who had hosted Bigg Boss 2. Sources say Big B has been hired for hefty amount to host the third season of the show.

The latest buzz in the tele land is over a Yogi baba participating in the reality show. Yes we are talking about Ramdev Baba who is speculated to be a part of the Bigg Boss Season 3. “The channel and the production house are in the talks with Baba Ramdev but nothing, as of now is confirmed,” chirps our khabroo.

Elaborating more on the reason for taking him in this reality show, our source adds, “He is a famous person and has been in news with these glam dolls recently on a news channel, and has raised many eyebrows. Even for that matter, actress Celina Jaitley has raised her voice against his thinking about the actress and item girls in the Bollywood industry.”

“He has a different thinking about these actors and may be with his participation in the show, his thinking for the entertainment industry might change. Also, he will be very supportive to keep the environment cool with his yoga kriya and teache the inmates the same,” quips the source. So don’t be surprised if you see Baba Ramdev teaching Kapalbhati to the inmates of Bigg Boss house with Big

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is overwhelmed by the love and affection that his fans have showered on him. Yesterday was not an ordinary day because it was his 67th birthday. And wherever he went, his fans were there to greet him. He expressed his feelings on blog.

I give my gratitude and thanks for taking the trouble to show your affection and love. Words shall always fail me when I shall be asked to describe this phenomena, but all that one can say is that I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity of so much love and affection from others. It is the greatest debt that I shall carry to my grave and one that I shall never be able to pay back,” he wrote.

Like wine, he seems to get stronger with every passing year, and the media too want more and more of him. “Many of the electronic had structured special programs and bulletins on my career. The many important papers had full front page tributes to me and the first print add., for ‘PAA’. Many of the print carried interviews and articles acknowledging my presence in the Indian Film Industry and they made very interesting reading. Friends and relatives called in and 1207 sms’s jammed the mobile,” he blogged.

He apologised for not being able to respond to everyone who wished him on his birthday. He also thanked for God for the give of his parents and his life. “Give me the strength, my Lord. Give me the power of work. Give me resilience and divine intervention and then allow me to come over and shake the hands that have waved at me for so long,” concluded Amitabh with this prayer.

From the land of myths and legends- India- comes, a fantasy adventure for the entire family. Directed by Sujoy Ghosh, 'Aladin' is a modern re-imagining of the classic tale of 'Aladin and The Magic Lamp'.

Aladin Chatterjee (Riteish Deshmukh) lives in the city of Khwaish, an orphan who has been bullied since childhood by Kasim and his gang. But his life changes when Jasmine (Jacqueline Fernandez) gives him a magic lamp- because it lets loose the genie Genius (Amitabh Bachchan). Desperate to grant him 3 wishes and seek the end of his contract with the Magic Lamp, the rock-star Genius makes

Aladin's life difficult until the real threat looms on the horizon: the ex-genie Ringmaster (Sanjay Dutt). Why does Ringmaster want to kill Aladin? What is the dark secret about Aladin's past that Genius is carrying? And what is Aladin's destiny? Find more in this swashbuckling fantasy adventure film from Eros International and Boundscript Production.

He belongs to a political family and expectedly, keeps himself abreast with the goings-on in the political arena. "I have to keep myself updated. I can't stay without it," Riteish Deshmukh smiles. So why didn't he ever think of joining politics? "My brother is in it. Also, I strongly feel that there would be a clash of ideologies if two people from the same family dabble in it. I am glad I am in movies," the talented actor reveals.

In the recently released Do Knot Disturb, Riteish was cast with Govinda, an actor known for his impeccable comic timing and in his next release, Aladin, Riteish gets to share the screen space with none other than Amitabh Bachchan. The challenges are only getting bigger and bigger.

"It's an honour to work with these actors. I thoroughly enjoyed the process. In fact, I learnt so much by merely watching them. But it was tough stepping from one set to another. Do Knot Disturb is a madcap entertainer, while Aladin is a fantasy/adventure. The roles are different too, but when you have such brilliant actors as co-stars, things do get easier," Riteish states.

Riteish singles out Aladin director Sujoy Ghosh for the expert handling of the subject material. "I didn't want to judge Sujoy by his past films. He came to me with a solid script (Aladin) and I agreed to be a part of it instantly. Also, let's not forget one thing. If people like Mr. Bachchan and Mr. Dutt (Sanju) can repose faith in his abilities, who am I to question Sujoy?" Riteish says.

Riteish now looks forward to Milap Zaveri's Jaane Kahan Se Aaye Hain, which stars him in the principal lead. And those who've seen the rushes of the film feel that the Milap-Riteish combo is sure to win hearts.

Aladin is a fantasy adventure; a modern version of the classic tale of 'Aladin and The Magic Lamp'. The film also boasts of a huge star cast in Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Juhi Chawla and Sameera Reddy.

The film is about Aladin Chatterjee, an orphan, who has been used by Kasim and his gang since childhood. However, his life takes a U-turn after Jasmine gives him a magic lamp, as it let loose the genie Genius. To grant him three wishes and end his contract with the magic lamp, Genius makes Aladin’s life miserable until the real threat Ringmaster, the ex-genie, comes to light. The rest of the film is about the destiny of Aladin.

Riteish plays the title role of Aladin, whereas Amitabh plays Genius. Sanjay Dutt plays the Ringmaster and Jacqueline plays Jasmine.

One of the highlights of the film is the star cast. It will be a delight to see big names like Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt together on the big screen. It also has Riteish, who has earned a place in comedy flicks.

Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez is certainly one of the highlights of the film. It’s her debut film in Bollywood but she has become a familiar name in the film circuit. Amitabh has praised her for her commitment and talent. She has got a dream break, and her prospect in Bollywood will very much depend on the fate of this film at the box-office.

This film from Eros International and Boundscript Production is directed by Sujoy Ghosh and is set for release on 30th October.

Watch out for this fantasy adventure!