This is a remarkable city, Mumbai. It shall never let you rest on your laurels ; that is if you could ever achieve some. It provides opportunity by the millions and challenges you to grasp them. Those that do, get their other millions, those that do not, remain struggling with hope. It takes a lot to face defeat, but it takes even a greater lot to face a city that provokes you to defeat, defeat. That is what Mumbai is all about. Excel in one and it shall provoke you into another. Lose in another and it shall goad you into shedding the loss and attempt afresh. Its the tread mill that never stops. Get off it to breathe a while and you shall never be able to catch up again. Time, water, opportunity … whatever, shall all have flown by, never to be retraced or recovered.

I have tried many a time to get off the tread mill, confident that when I shall be back on it, all I have to do is time the peddling and all will be well. Wrong ! Big mistake to do that ! It shall never allow you to catch up. Thats the nature of the city. That is how it exists and prospers. And that is how it shall be. Take it or leave it !!

Guests that dropped by in the evening after the small and delicate ceremony by Sony at Marriott to bring in the first episode of KBC, left by 4 AM ! Sleep, blog, twitter later just managed a few hours before on the road to Film City for KBC. Sitting in the make up vanity, it takes courage and will to psyche yourself into believing that you are bright and raring to go. But within the portals of the glass and lights and large audience - more audience - you feel dwarfed and drained of all energy. Until … the roar of the audience and their enthusiasm brings that adrenalin flow back into your veins. Its like pushing the throttle on the fighter jet from a normal to almost vertical flight. The brain cells and the stomach wrestling with each other, to check which one of them has greater tolerance potential.

On set there is compressed entusiasm on the results of the first day broadcast of KBC. They all know the results but wait for it to get official. So there shall be a wait for some time, a few days maybe. There is a sense of rehearsed confidence within the confines of the work place. There are fewer people, but more organized people.

It has played well for another day and I am happy. Tomorrow is another day.

In between moments of solitude - the travel in the car, lunch breaks, make up breaks - I have tried to answer those over two thousand sms’s that have crashed my Nokia and my fingers too, for, there is no system to send multiple responses en masse. It has to be one at a time. Getting through over 1500 short message texts shall take me for eternity, but I shall attempt to do it. So friends and relatives, which in short is my extended family, do give me some patience and time. I do wish to answer personally, but it is going to take some time.

The abundant bouquet of flowers shall all find their way to hospitals to bring some cheer to the poor and the needy. And then shall start the process of getting down to replying all the cards and greetings, missed calls, visits that did not materialize, pictures that should have been taken, autographs that needed to be signed and so many personal individual interviews that have had a demanding call. I will do it. But it shall take time. So do bear with me.

Good night then ..

I believe all the FmXt was taken for lunch by Shweta … hmmm … and have now found their way to a DANDIYA.

This is most exciting. Wonder how Valorie and Renate shall fare in this most unique festival of the NAVRATRI …

I am certain I shall soon find out …

Love to you and good night … sleep well and do take very good care of yourselves ..

Amitabh Bachchan