I fail to recollect a day when I could have spoken as much as I did today ! Spoken not because I need to speak or have desired so, but spoken out of compulsion. The promotional shoots for KBC today were a challenge to me as an artist. They were a non stop activity for almost 8 hrs. 8 hrs of continuous recordings of the game conditions and the modus operandi of coming on to it. The work itself was not so intricate but the various options and magnifications, the address to different sections of society, the connect to other cities, the questions during the week that need to be answered to make a possible entry to KBC were all done one after the other in quick succesion. The number of people that get involved in a shoot of this dimension is enormous. Enormous by today’s standards. In the earlier days there was never these kind of numbers. But in an age when out- sourcing has become the administrative norm, every little bit of the process of a shoot becomes an enormous exercise in proficiency. So there are lovely ladies that look after your costume. Another set of dedicated individuals care for the ambience and look. Another group forms a concerned production head that keeps enquiring after our well being. Creative directors move around with their team, monitoring every little detail. And then last but not the least is what I jokingly refer to as the ‘chandal chowkdi’ - the group of advisors, figure heads from the channel and PR department, business heads and heads of marketing, that sit in a large group around the TV monitor, grim faced, serious and out to find the slightest fault in what is being captured by the camera - a speck of dust on the floor to that single hair out of place on the artists head. The final call comes from this group. It is never immediate and never spontaneous. It is a measured and time consuming decision. As an artist, after the shot has been cut, we all look for an approval. An enthusiastic and immediate ‘CUT’ is indicative of approval even before the CC has spoken. A indecisive and uncertain OK demonstrates, it could have been better. Silence of course is the moment to pack your bags and leave, before they pick someone else to replace you. Fortunately there were not many silences today. On the blog I am beginning to observe a war of words building up again among the FmXt, ironically with someone bearing similar credentials. This is inappropriate and not desirable at all. I would not wish to revisit an earlier situation where there was intention to stop this platform altogether. Living in threat is a weakness and I know that there are many strong forces here. Ever since we began and ever since skepticism on the existence of this platform gave way to belief in its longevity and its numbers, there have been various attempts to either malign our home, or to in some way destroy it. But the greatness of the EF has been that despite all the obstacles that have been put up against us, and there have been many, we have proved beyond doubt that we are not going to succumb. Some of these forces are without. Forces that have faced the brunt of my criticism, have been corrected or exposed in their fault and wrong doing. They and their profession have lived in an arrogance not deserving ; destroying this vehicle that has the ‘temerity’ to challenge and question them. There are some that are within. They have tried their best to alienate others from the family, to bring discord, in fighting, so that the functions of our sacred little world may come to an end. I know of them and I know what they are up to and what they are attempting to be up to. But let them get my very clear and definite message. You may try your damnedest, but you will NOT succeed. Let them also hear this from me. You are not required on this platform - LEAVE !! And spare us the insignificance of your presence. Your foul mouthed missives shall have NO effect on any of us. We are not going to change or submit to any threats. You have no idea who you are dealing with. Silence does not mean submission. It means you are not worth a response. Our dignity and its purity is supreme. What a waste of precious time on an issue that should never have formed the basis for todays post. But leave all of that behind and be of cheer. In strength and in togetherness .. Amitabh Bachchan