I wonder when you multitask, do your faculties suffer or improve.

I believe when the environment changes, the mind shifts gears and starts afresh. Or am I just being plain stupid !

6 in the morning at the gymnasium as you drive yourself there, gives you a sense of having physically moved yourself into some mobility. Essential since, any stagnant behavior clutches the body in excruciating pain ; at this age any way.

While you gym, the mind does not necessarily concentrate on the weight that you push or the repetitions that you perform on the bench. It also pays attention to the sound on the system, the music that is played with some volume, to inspire one to enjoy the ordeal of exercise or motivate it towards performing adequately.

There is also simultaneously the TV screen that runs on different channels - sport, news, music video, trailers of coming films, general knowledge information, preaching, astrology on how the day shall shape for one, the weather…

The mind registers all that. Registers it more as you begin your yogic breathing. As you shut your eyes, images and thoughts appear. Some you wish aside, others you allow to linger. Those that linger tend to be disturbing, yet you do not allow it to break concentration.

This 2 hour occupation then transforms itself into correcting the traffic violations as you drive home, made incessantly in a blatant manner. Breaking signals, driving and taking turns from wrong positions. Pedestrians walking up the wrong way on the middle of the road ; mobile stuck to their ears and in animated conversation. And a host of other such..

At home a general inspection tour of the property. Plants well watered and in place, lawn mowed, pavement washed and then… out in the sun with the paper work of the office ; letters, opinions, requests, schedules, travel, HRD, staff queries, documentation..

News to be read.. incorrect information to be corrected… trends and bent of particular media to be noticed and assessed. Phone calls to anniversaries, response to a million press sms on mobile, connecting to loved ones in different parts of the world and then..

The appointments.

Balki comes over for a final narration of ‘PA’ ; dress, look, screenplay, song and music, co artists, story and screenplay fineries. Before this ends, phone calls on various other domestic matters have been in progress. From film there is a switch to Sujoy Ghosh and a commercial that he directs for Emami. Discuss the creatives, not happy with the song that has been recorded, a desire to redo it, personal participation required.. but how ??

Monitoring Abhishek in New York and Aishwarya in Kolkata.. there travel, safety, accommodation.

Sujoy again.. we need to get to a studio to record. Without my input he says we cannot move forward. A quick shower and off to V@S studio. In the car a utilization of travel and traffic time - office paper work. In the studio and a change of environment. From personal physical upkeep to news analysis to film script narration to music.. and we have still not crossed noon.

The song is reshaped. I sing something for reference. They flip. This is what we want, this is it. I say I was just pfaffing. No it is it. Will you come and record it later while we set up the music. I have a busy day still ahead. I shall get back.

Back home and the staff is worried. I have not eaten yet. It is 4.30pm !! Ok bring it in quickly and nothing too complicated, need to rush off again.

ShahRukh has been in hospital for a surgery. I had sent him a message for his speedy recovery. He calls back to thank and inform that he is home. Was getting depressed in hospital he says so came away. Oh ! I was planning on visiting you in hospital. Come home sir, we shall play some games. Do not take after surgery too lightly I warn him, take rest and do not get into any kind of activity. He sounds a little groggy. I shall visit him tomorrow.

The schedule in Hyderabad, where I go next for ‘Johnny Mastana’, needs fine monitoring. Permissions are difficult, timings and dates must be adhered to. But there are at least three important issues that have to be attended to out of Hyderabad. It will mean coming in to the city in the morning flying out at night to another, complying with duties and fly back to work. One such visit being out of the country. In between while I shoot for JM, PA make up team from LA wants to come in for final tests for three days. Ok send them to Hyderabad. When I finish shoot in the late evening we can do that till late night.

Its now time to set of to FICCI FRAMES and the IIFA function at Powai. 10 years of both the organizations. Me Brand Ambassador for one will have to attend. It is formal and well attended. Diplomats from the American Embassy, Senators from Washington, artists from Hollywood, civil rights activists who worked closely with Martin Luther King jr, its 50 years since his visit to India, fellow colleagues and the media….

Danny Glover that consummate character artist from Hollywood there in great humility. We have met on a few occasions in Cannes. He is warm and affectionate. Has been an admirer of my films and never hesitates to express his appreciation on them whenever he meets me. He is being decorated by FICCI-IIFA at this Global Convention and after his award starts his speech by paying tribute to ‘the greatest actor in the world Mr Amitabh Bachchan’. I am embarrassed beyond repair. If there was space beneath my chair I would have disappeared in there. There are presentations to other friends as well - Priety, Kareena, Priyanka, Shilpa and yours truly again. Speeches follow. Indo American connections, Mahatma Gandhi and his inspiration to Martin Luther, non violence movements, protection of civil rights, bonds of friendship through the fraternity of entertainment…

And I quietly slip away..

They wait for me at the studio for the song.

At the studio again and from diplomacy and FICCI to a ditty for a brand of hair oil !! Write it, sing it, record it and rush out to finish one final meeting in the office. Dinner, dinner.. the kitchen is screaming. Later.. send it to Prateeksha. Just gulped a few spoonfuls as I punch in on the comp. Cannot just cannot hit the sack without the EF…

MULTITASKING !!!

A full day. It is now 1:34 am. A few hours and up at 5:00 am to pay respects at Haji Ali Dargah and Siddhivinak Temple, before getting into an endless list of meets with… oh well.. it is beyond… so shall let it be.. I can already see and hear voices of dissent coming from EF…

Alright.. alright.. to bed and rest..

Good night

Amitabh Bachchan