To New Delhi and back. Non stop movement, non stop attention, non stop interviews .. and back. From 31 degrees Centigrade to 8 degrees, from cotton shirts to woolen blazers and scarfs, from sweat off the brow to a sniffle in the nose … back !

And the greatest joy … a quick visit to hug the grandchildren Navya and Agastya, busy in preparing for their tests the next morning and getting close to converting themselves into black belt Ninja’s that become invisible after reaching a certain degree of proficiency on the Mac game console !!

From 6 in the morning you get the cameras on you as you prepare to leave for Delhi. At the house, at the airport, into the terminal, out of the terminal in Delhi, driving to studio of appointed channel and straight into a Q&A.

Its Star News at NOIDA, which is in UP but connects close to Delhi so within minutes one can drive into another state. It is a revelation ! Taken around from corner to corner of each operation, the assimilation of news, the disbursement of it to select group of seniors, its formation and language, its graphics, its edit and compilation, right to its final rendering by the anchor, it is a nerve shattering massive operation - one that is in motion 24/7 for every second !

Incredible !! Absolutely incredible !! And all run by a group of youngsters, diligent and devoted to the very end. The speed of thought and construct, before matter gets stale or before competition picks it up, is fierce. However do they manage it, is an improbability, which to me seems to have no solutions.

The topic for the day has a massive panel of pictures that adorns an entire wall of the office. It is dedicated to me today and the range and variety of all my pictures put together is such a revelation. A few different interviews later, a few autographs and countless photographs later a quick drive to another developed region to the Religare Office, partners in the funding of the film and an elegant but quick lunch with their CEO and then down there in the media room - Barkha Dutt, that very committed and intense TV journalist, panelist, organizer of debates on many a valid issues, columnist and gracious anchor.

The topic is of course TV and journalism and RANN. The supposed bashing, the purported effort of revenge, the mistrust and its own reflections, on linked politics and delinked associations. On impressions of how this medium could improve, on how we as public figures could improve, what we lacked and what they lacked, on how this most powerful medium could be used and misused in society in politics in life. . .

When you have a sensible and interesting and knowledged interviewer, there is a sense of achievement when the interview is over. For, quite unobtrusively, you have managed to match the other’s superior intellect, or at least tried to. It has always been a joy to talk to Barkha Dutt.

That over, rush rush rush all the way back into Delhi to the Taj ManSingh for the press conference without as much as a break even for a wash room visit. There is applause after the traditional promo is shown and there is immediate consternation and resentment towards Ram Gopal Varma for the anecdotal short piece of footage he has shot asking various people in the public what they thought of the television in the country. It was harsh. Nothing was complimentary about the electronic in it and the resentment from the fourth estate was I felt, not unjustified. You do not call the media to help promote your film and then the first thing you show them is how adversely they are looked upon by the public.

“Why call us to tell us how bad we are, in a conference where you are asking us to promote your film ?” is their very legitimate refrain.

Other issues about the film and its motive and ingredients then take over, but I did feel the additional showreel incident left a bad taste in the mouths of many. I spoke to Ramu about this later, after it was all over, and told him it was not such a good idea to show that extra footage, totally unconnected with RANN, a film, that eventually is a fictionalized story which puts media in a very positive light. He understood the point immediately and assured me that it would not be shown again. Wiser counsel prevailed !

Encourage debate and discussion. Encourage impartial self regulation. Encourage ideas that would in the long run work beneficially to both the estate and the community. Strike a balance not the gong. Always a pleasure to talk to Barkha. I hope it is mutual.

Politics then takes over. The ‘handlers’ jump in to try and rescue the interview by keeping it from being anything other than film centric. I disagree and encourage for more talk. My argument against this is as follows. If you are going to agree for an interview or a press conference, then it is not justifiable that you dictate the terms of the conversation too. That prerogative should always be permitted to lie with the media.

So the questions come, on my recent visit and meeting with Mr Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat and my association with this allegedly controversial politician. My offer to promote the state of Gujarat through publicity commercials that could garner more tourism for it, is welcomed and the administration shall come over to work out what and how the modalities could be executed. The grilling questions on this matter continue though.

“You are perceived as a secular example of this country, Mr Bachchan, how can you associate yourself with someone like Mr Modi, a stern rightist !? ” they ask.

I am surprised by this analysis and wonder what kind of people there are that would think of my visit in such adverse manner. I have come to the Chief Minister of Gujarat to seek tax exemption for my film, permissions for which are sanctioned by him and his office. I am going to meet the democratically elected member of a constituent assembly of the country as stipulated by the Constitution, because he is the power that shall grant those facilities. Mr Modi does not own Gujarat. Gujarat belongs to the country. Mr Modi is the elected member by the people, to run the State. Where else and how else do I seek exemption and from who ? Meeting Mr Modi does not make me, a confirmed apolitical person, a rightist. Neither does it make me an endorser of his alleged accusations. Let the courts and the system conclude or pass judgement on it. And, if I see wide 6 lane roads and development and greenery, what is the harm in acknowledging it.

By similar argument, my visit to Kolkata, a few days back, and to the hospital there, to see Mr Jyoti Basu, may his soul rest in peace, would make me a communist would it not ! Or one that I am about to make to Delhi’s Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on similar ground of tax exemption, make me a Congressite because she rules from the Congress party. Or the one that I am about to undertake to Karnataka to visit Mr Yedurappa, the Chief Minister, for tax exemption make me a follower of his party !! Ha ! Come on … guys … think of something more original !

If Mr Modi asks me to promote Tourism in his State, I would happily do it, because it promotes the State and thereby the country. I do not see any wrong in that.

Barkha Dutt expressed similar surprise when she quoted what Mr Amar Singh has expressed in an interview with her on similar subject. He had told her, even if Ms Mayawati, the present Chief Minister of UP asked Mr Bachchan to promote Tourism in UP the state, he would do it.

She reiterates her surprise in my interview - “But Mr Bachchan, this is Mayawati, the one who dragged you to court and registered cases against you, on land matters and school matters and other Company matters !!”

And my reply is the same. If she were to ask me to promote Uttar Pradesh I would happily do it. As much as I would do for any State that would ask me.

Ms Vasundhara Raje Scindia as Chief Minister of Rajasthan asked me to do the son e lumiere for the Amer Fort in Jaipur and I did it. Amarinder Singh of Punjab asked me to do one for the Sikh Museum that they were building and I readily did that. I am in preparation now to do another one on the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. Gwalior Fort, Golconda Fort in Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati Fort, Khajuraho have all been done by me. I did these for the love of their significance in the history of our country, not because I wish to align myself with the political party that has been elected to rule that particular State !!

I have remained apolitical ever since I resigned from politics. I do not wish to go back there again. This I have confirmed year after year, interview after interview. I think it completely futile to even attempt to bring such ill conceived notions up for questioning.

The Jew after perishing went up to heaven and knocked on the door of the Lord and said -

“Lord !! is it true that we are the chosen people ??”

“Yes my son !” Came the booming response. ” You are the chosen people !”

” Well, Lord”, he said. ” Do you mind choosing someone else, for a change !!

Many a time have I felt like conveying this to the media.

My love for you … and for you … and … you ..