A sense of great pride. The President of India presenting award for Best Actor for ‘PAA’. Eyes moist as the audience gives a standing ovation. Which in formal functions is an abnormality. The president whispers to me “ I have seen your film and loved it”. I give an embarrassed laugh. Abhishek and Balki and Arundhati going up on stage for their respective awards. Crowds and media paying scant respect to decorum and protocol, surround and mob within these very august precincts of Vigyan Bhavan.

It has rained very heavily as we enter. And then stops by the time we finish. An omen again !

But really .. a wonderful moment for the family – Jaya, Aishwarya, Niky and Shweta all in the audience, cheering and applauding and feeling pride and passion for the moment.

Later all collecting at Shweta’s elegantly decorated home for dinner – Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Raju Hirani, Balki, Arundhati, Rakeysh Mehra, Venki, Rana, Swanand and the irrepressible Suhel Seth … a lovely evening with the kids and samdhis Ritu and Rajan … music repeats of ‘Guzarish’ and ‘Action Replay’, which grows on us gradually. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has composed the music for Guzarish and its soothing and nostalgic and beginning to grow on us all … takes a while. The other Action Replay is lusty and hot and grooving and all seem to move along with it. Jaya surprisingly gives it a thumbs up, which has to be said is rather unusual … she does not normally do that …

Felt a sense of pride and happiness to see Abhishek walk up to the President for his award as producer for PAA.

But before that the entire morning media and media and media … till you are bursting with having to give responses to the same questions again and again.

Its actually a wonderful exercise for an actor, on how differently he is able to give the same reply in 5 different ways !!!

Tomorrow its back to Mumbai and straight on to the set and KBC.

Thank you India for this national recognition. Give me the strength to work diligently towards achieving what we set out to do in life ….

I am exhausted and tired and over interviewed !

Love to all

Amitabh Bachchan