Its my daughter’s birthday today, 17th March. Shweta was born today. Late evening. Seems like just yesterday that I was informed in Bangalore, where I was shooting for Sholay, that Jaya was going into labor. I had rushed back straight to the Breach Candy Hospital in Bombay to be with her and to bring in the first child of the new generation of the family Bachchan. My Father named her Shwetambari - the Goddess that is dressed in white, Shwet, Saraswati the Goddess of learning. We started calling her Shweta and it remained with all of us. She is married now and has two of her own. We are all very blessed and happy and content. May the Almighty keep our children well and safe.

Every parent in the universe wishes for this. Children are special. They are the continuity of life. They are the reason we are and shall always be.

Each generation of life brings a fresh breath of air. They bring their own sensibilities and acumen, their own understanding of living and being, their own ideas and thinking. Progressive thoughts must be encouraged, but without the element of disrespect. Our traditions and our culture has endured thousands of years of existence. There must be some elements in them that added so many years to their age. That is our ethos and our culture. The human must never be too far away from his roots.

The progression of the young in today’s times is exciting and alarming both. They live in troubled times as much as they do in times that are infinitely more demanding than what we did or our ancestors did. We express concern for them. We worry for them and wonder for them. They in turn seem ‘chilled’ out and ‘cool’. I see the extent of their maturity in every day life and find myself gulping in amazement at their disposition.

I work on set with a whole bunch of kids, forming the backdrop for a school. Taruni, a pretty young one is such a ‘lady’. Her walk her attitude her work her manner all just so natural, unassuming and in control. Never messes up her lines, in fact none of them do and comes up with a performance that most of us matured lot would find difficult to emulate. I sit during a break next to her and begin a conversation.

‘Have we not worked together before ?’, I enquire.

‘Of course we have ‘, she instantly responds. ‘We did the one on RIN, the washing detergent and another more recently for the bank, ICICI ‘, she softly assures me.

‘When did we do the RIN add., ?’, I ask.

‘Oh ! that was some time back. When I was much younger ‘ she condescendingly mutters almost inaudibly.

I suppress a smile, trying for the comment not to disturb my demeanor and ask matter of factly -

‘So how old are you now ?’

‘I am 10 and a half !’, she confidently states turning her face away as though those 10 years had been such a great big burden. I in the meantime am almost choking by the manner in which she has treated her age with such impertinence !!

Children of today are all like this - gracious confident ladies and upright forthcoming gents. May the Lord bless all of them.

Matilda, the 10 month old bundle of cuddlesome innocence to my make up artist from New Zealand, Domini and to all on the set, has distinct likes and dislikes even before she has learnt to speak and walk. She definitely has no interest in prosthetics, or anyone covered in it. So, I am not in the reckoning at all, even if her Mother is responsible for my state !! Ha ha !!

May all those in the EF that have them - children - be blessed with their presence in their lives. May all those that have still to reach that stage, reach it sooner than later…

And may all of you be with love -

Amitabh Bachchan