The Stanford story was incorrect, as vociferously expressed by several learned members, the promo of BiggBoss finally opened and the level of resentment for my association with it still remained, among a few.

History gets documented through various sources and they in turn become our testament for the generations to follow. With the advent of modern technology, I do believe that this generation, the one in the present, will have better access to facilities that shall record every bit of our existence with greater efficiency. The mediums that prevail now and the ease with which the masses have access to them will ensure that whatever transpires by way of events, moments, incidents shall have the benefit of being saved and documented in a more secure manner.

It would not be too far removed to admit that because technology helps us today, we are going to be better preservers of history. Our records will have greater authenticity and the stories that shall be narrated to our future generations shall have greater factual and visual content. Question marks, doubts and historical corrections shall be reduced by a considerable extent. Stanford urban legends shall never be questioned. Legends existed because the only way to communicate them through time was to pass it on verbally. Each verbal dispatch had the vulnerability of a ‘chinese whisper’ and when the information travelled through several hundred years, ear to ear, there was bound to be distortion, exaggeration and inflated descriptions. That liberty may never exist now. There are far too many modern gadgetry to dispel any convoluted impressions that a system may have developed to record its history. Today each individual mobile owner, each owner of a computer or a lap top, each digital camera owner has become the caretaker of the country and what transpires within its 24 hour day. Each TV channel now records more history than any other available form.

We relied on word of mouth, to imagery on stone, to paintings on deep and well preserved walls, to paper, to film to digital. Nothing goes past us now. Indeed at times, events that may never have taken place, have the ‘good fortune’ of being invented through the facilities available to us. We are a digitized race. Protected and shielded by technology that has overpowered us and sublimated us into a dependence, from which we shall perhaps never come through.

Which is not all that bad … at least not bad for any more dubious urban legends that may be contemplating to surface !!

When I get requests for autobiographical consent, I desist. I do so for many reasons. Foremost among them being the absolute belief that there really is nothing worthy of being documented in my life. The other and more plausible submission is that the course of my life is already documented in my films. These are ready reckoners of my spoken word, of my demeanor, of those that worked with me, and the strangest of all, a nostalgic memory of all that transpired within the making of said film. So what really is the need then ? Posterity shall connect with what they see of my craft, not with what I may reproduce within the walls of leather bound covers predominated by the letter ‘I’.

I have been neglectful today. I have not visited 838485. They have now assumed in my mind the structure of the story I gave about my Father and the monstrous rock that he pushed along for several months before it arrived at our doorstep. 345 - 8 common, shall fare similar fate. Patience shall be tested and perseverance shall prevail. Eventually !!!

Last night before the US OPEN and the remote, there was an outer body experience, which I did not mention. I did not mention because outer body experiences bear very little resemblance to logic, science and fact. It is a chapter that shall invite a debate which may turn out to be insensitive, but one that needs to be addressed. Perhaps with suitable caution and restraint.

So … even though I may tend to stay away from this topic .. bring me back to it in a few days. Remind me and I shall see whether ethics, custom and culture are not compromised. Whether, large masses that live in faith and belief from such, do not in any manner get offended. I did touch upon it, and this is merely as a passing clue, in a film of mine. It failed. But the matter was pertinent and of some substance.

We shall endeavor.. perhaps .. in better climes ..

There is the attraction again tonight for the tennis as we come into the final stages. Unfortunately there are no more stories of interest to narrate. Just as well.

Sharmila, from EF felt strongly about the treatment meted out to fans at the Flushing Meadows, in particular the collar disposition of ‘frail Indians’ to Jackson Heights by the security. She felt my conduct was not in keeping with what celebrities should do in the presence of fans at public venues. That greater politeness and care should have been exhibited.

Dearest and lovely Sharmila I must reassure you that said and mentioned fans, were far from being removed to the mentioned destination. Fact is that a moment later during one of the breaks, we all met up in the lawns outside and gorged on the delicious ‘parathas’ that the lady of the house had prepared for her family. We exchanged many pleasantries and photographs and autographs. You may heave a sigh of relief now Rinku Di … thats Sharmila Tagore’s pet name .. thats how Jaya addresses her .. she and Jaya having worked together in Satyajit Ray’s film .. so Rinku Di in remembrance of her, even though Sharmila is not Sharmila Tagore … !!!!

Sooooo oh…!! Its not exactly the US Open Arthur Ash Stadium roar that is detracting my attention, but the roar of powerful automobiles, some distance away, actually not some distance away, in Singapore nothing is distant, that is taking my mind away from DAY 506.

Its the F1’s testing out the tracks just behind where I hibernate. You are aware that around the 24th or 25th or 27th of this month, I’m not sure which, Singapore hosts the first night time Formula 1 event, under lights, within the existing roads of the city. Much like in Monte Carlo, except there it is in the day. Here it shall be in the night ..

Good night !!

Amitabh Bachchan