Filled with emotion and gratitude. Bharat and Doris a husband wife team of make up and hair stylists, have set up an Award ceremony that applauds and recognizes these forgotten heroes that work silently and tirelessly behind the scenes. Never have we given them any kind of reward or mention on public platforms. They are the ones that are most responsible for our fortunes, our faces. Today then, a day of pride and joy to see a young couple build their own brand of b&d and structure an entire evening for the benefit of their colleagues in the Industry.

And a decent and sizable turn out too at the JWM - Yash Chopra, Preity Zinta, Hema ji, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Prem Chopra, Sachin Khedekar, Sonali Kulkarni, Arbaaz and Malaika and a whole host of make and hair stylists. All so talented, all so humble and filled with emotion. They honor me for Paa, but its really for the make up team of Christian and Domini and Natasha and Dakshana who worked so hard on my face and gave me the opportunity to live up to the expectations of the director. And then they honor my make up man Deepak Sawant and a flood of emotion breaks out from him.

Deepak has been my make up man for the past 35 years ! And has not missed a single day. Day in and day out this man has remained with me through times of struggle and pain, of glory and success, without a whimper or complaint. He guides and prepares, learns and shares. I have encouraged him to train outside, in Hollywood and other places, but his loyalty comes in the way and he refuses to leave me. He has produced Marathi films, Bhojpuri films, asked me to work in them. Has set up an entire beauty parlor for his wife and daughters and runs it successfully, runs a farmland with valuable produce, has sent his daughter to England to train in beauty treatments and hair, has put his younger brother Ashok with Abhishek as make up … but … still reports diligently to look after my face day in and day out. As he said in his acceptance speech “I have never taken a holiday. I get a holiday when my boss gets one. ”

Deepak trained under Pandari Jukar, the doyen of all make up artists in the Film Industry. Pandari was the first make up man that I was sent to when I was to undergo a test. This was 1970. And Pandari dada, as we all refer to him affectionately, has remained that simple humble self. He was there tonight, older, but still with spirit and joy. Such a joy to meet him after so long.

He was there in my first film too - Saat Hindustani. Khwaja Ahmed Abbas my first director was a principled socialist. His films and writings followed his beliefs. He lived a meagre life and conducted his film making within meagre means too. We travelled 3rd class by train to Goa for the shoot of the film, travelled by bus, lived in scanty government forest houses, where the entire unit slept on the floor for want of space. He coud not afford Pandari for the film. We did our own make up whenever required. Most of the time we did not. But there came a moment when I needed to have a false beard and Pandari was summoned. He and Abbas saheb were very close and Pandari obliged - but there was a problem. Pandari was in the middle of another film shoot and could only be free for a day. But the beard was required for 7 days ! Pandari came fixed the hair on my face and left. And I lived with the false beard for seven days without harming it, sleeping at nights on a make shift sling that I had tied to the ceiling fan and which went under my head to keep it from rubbing against the pillow and coming off. I also did not bathe for those days ! Hmmm …!

So … a lovely evening of much deserved recognition and it was pleasing to see all these stars coming forward to give recognition and praise to their aides in the profession.  Noble, humble, deserving .. all of them !!

Earlier in the day we did a photo shoot for POWER .. first days and looks are such an apprehensive moment. You never know when you will get it right, if at you will ever. And when you are on a roll and comfortable, you always wish you could redo the first few days of work. Because you know that you could improve on it …

Work on POWER starts day after and work tomorrow starts at an endorsement shoot which is being directed by the man himself Mr Raju Hirani, of all these wonderful fames … ‘Munna Bhai’s and recently 3 iDiots. Always a pleasure working with him, tomorrow will be no less.

Good night dearest ones … see you in the morrow … its been a while with the ‘yellow’, but believe me I think about it everyday as I go through your responses. Some day soon I shall fill you in ‘jaundiced’ and happy ..

Love and more …

Amitabh Bachchan