The responsibility of professionalism is a heavy burden to carry.

We may be human and susceptible to selfish motives, to lethargy, to attractions other than that which demand a certain etiquette, but at the end of the day our report card should be without blemish. And so keeping that in mind, there was a desperate rush to be on location ready as per the call sheet by 2 PM, for, as the DOP had suggested the ideal light available for that particular scene was at that nominated hour.

And so I did. Scampered through the morning formalities, pushed my make up team to work at twice the speed they normally do and panting from the excitement of being on time, reported in front of the cameras, to find that the rush was not that critical after all !! But any way it was a good feel to be ahead and ready that be late and unprepared. Several scenes later, which went off well, I was given the wrap signal and I am dutifully in front of the most awaited activity of the day - my blog and my FmXt !!

And I write early today because I need to be up early tomorrow, and need to learn a rather difficult scene, and need to get to the gym early and need to exercise, because the routine is getting slack and careless. Its been a while since I worked out. London was freezing, and the motivation to be on the weights and other craft was equally freezing. It is now playing up as I work on the sets. There is a resistance to the body, even though the mind does not mind. So, with courage and determination and all the will power at my command I must fulfill this duty. Trouble is my trainer is not here. Its quite a deterrent when they are not around. You tend to skip workouts, because you know that there is no one waiting for you to report ! And as you all know better than I do, that I am a better follower than a leader.

I am most impressed with some of the reactions coming from the EF with regard to a simple harmless joke regarding ‘phansa’. All the ladies have ganged up and promulgated, why not ‘phansi’ instead. After all they argue, the girl could feel the same way and why does everyone make snide jokes about them rather than the male species.

Its been a valid argument and I feel that the ladies have given ample proof of its duality. They argue that the men hardly ever display any signs indicative of them being married, when the woman does - the ring, the ‘mangalsutra’, the ’sindoor’ and so on … I think that the joke is made more to signify the end of the male bachelor hood than cast negative aspersions on the female. The ladies too could feel that they are being ‘trapped’ into an alliance and they are absolutely right ! But for some reason the men’s section has been played up and so the comment. No damage intended to either - its just some harmless fun !

I shall now depart. I want to pace my room and feel as though my examinations are on tomorrow. I shall mug my lines and hope that age does not shy them away from me tomorrow when I face the cameras. I shall hope that when it is being done it has the acceptance of the director, the acceptance of the audience when it reaches them and the compliance of the director when it is performed.

There are some pictures that are being put together from the shooting and I do hope I shall be able to put them up as working stills by the ‘morrow or within the next few days. That should give all those curious to know what the look of the character, the character and what else happens on set, conveys.

I am but in concern and good wishes to each …

and more love than before ..

Amitabh Bachchan