Vivek’s brother undergoes a complicated surgery tomorrow and we all want him to know that our prayers are with him. May he recover fast and in good health.

Its Barun’s birthday tomorrow, and a birthday wish for him and for Mahmud ..

There are some that I have missed, so do need to be excused. Work has kept me very busy and the little that I get off, goes into spending some time with the family. Like today. Took all of them out to a movie -’Kung Fu Panda 2′ !

Yaaa ! Great fun walking into a cinema theatre, standing in line for the tickets and being ushered in to our seats. Putting on the 3D glasses, ordering some pop corn and drinks at the PVR in Juhu/Andheri and joining in with the rest of the audience on the laughs and the claps. Must do this more often !

Thank you all for the immediate reactions for the posters. They are the work of the very talented Rahul Nanda, who has designed so many outstanding material for some of the most important films. He, incidentally did ‘Paa’ also. The poster design is quite an elaborate effort. These ones have been treated with a different idea. The pictures have been treated over with a material done by hand which gives it that very old time poster-poster look. If I heard correctly, it goes to a company in France for this kind of work.

Anyway … more of all that later !

It is the exuberance of the viewer that acts as a stimuli to whatever we may do creatively. You could be down and out, depressed or dissatisfied, but a smile, a word of approval, a message of congratulation and you are a different person. The appreciation today from not just the blog and the twitter, but others in the trade on the page ads., in the Bombay Times puts in so much energy within you. Its a remarkable feature of humans. Where does this extra come from ? How does it manifest itself into something physical from something abstract ? I have heard stories of many public figures that seem to endorse this theory. In fact no less a person than Pt Jawarharlal Nehru, our first Prime Minister had remarked that he may have been exhausted after a grueling day, touring the interiors of the country, but even in the late night when he would end the day by addressing a public meeting, the mere roar of applause that he would receive on his appearance would fill him up with a freshness and an energy, which wiped out all other.

Our comparison to those great leaders can never be equated, but in our small way the feel of the audience and its recognition towards us, is enough to keep us going for long. The fans that visit us, the well wishers that come by every Sunday, that excited family in a passing car or the autorikshaw, are all our adrenalines. We work for them. We work for their appreciation. Yes we are disappointed when it does not, but we go out there again and make effort to attract them. There are moments in our lives when we fail. Its a crumbling effect on our psyche. Many succumb to this phenomena, many take it upon themselves as a challenge. Many fight to disprove, many give in. It is not an easy decision to take, nor is it an easy decision to execute. Many advisors and well meaners come by. Some of us solicit them, others stay away. Those that come in as a solace, a so called solace, may not necessarily be there for the reason you may want them to be. Some celebrities are prudent and cautious to such situations. Some others thrive. And thrive beyond all imagination.

Many that find favor are there because they mention favorable things. Others that may be more honest and direct, could find themselves being shut out. The permutations and combinations of such associations are complex and in abundance. But …

I think eventually, it is the thought, idea and the mind of the person himself or herself. We must know what is good for us and where we are going wrong or right for that matter. It was us that decided one fine day that we would want to express ourselves through this medium. It is we that consider the possibility of being able to execute a particular task or not. No one else is going to ride your bike for you. You would have to learn how to drive it and negotiate it through traffic through highways through lanes and by lanes.

I find the whole business of management of public figures now going through a professional process. An entire army of managers trained in the most intricate job of how figures need help and assistance and control, moving around with the celebrity, advising on each step what to wear, what to say, how to say it, how to accept, or reject and eventually how to perform in front of the camera. Politicians and high profile businessman must and do have their team that works for them. Nothing wrong. Indeed it is most reassuring. But I do feel that any excess would alienate us from reality. For those that give opinion in earnest and without any self interest. Problem is who to consider as being earnest and who not. That there then falls into the realm of self determination and individual decision. Choosing the right person - the right husband or wife, the capable employee, the right doctor or priest, the reliable manager - is the most important and the most difficult decision that we all have to take. Staff that man your house, that look after your security, or your office, or your home, or your domestic chores and the kitchen, all need careful picking. And after careful picking, to monitor whether they conform to your nature and style and comfort. One wrong move by the employed can destroy years of hard work in building anything of value. One right move can build your impression beyond what you may have ever imagined. No one is perfect and no one shall be able to ever have the perfect combination. Some shall be proficient, some not. Laud the proficient, tolerate the other.

Tolerance has its boundaries too. What may seem tolerant to me may not to you. I may have a different level than yours. I may feel mine is better, you yours. There never is any unanimity. So what do you do ? Do you wait for that ideal moment and allow valuable time to pass by you, or do you show some contentment and move on.

Tough … tough to decide ! And for a Libran like me where deciding is a major operation, the horrors of this war are simply unsurmountable. So what does one do ?

I’ll tell you what one must do. One must write a public blog !! Ha ha ha !

Loving you all and wishing you a pleasant night ..

Amitabh Bachchan