To those that remained with me in happiness and in joy. To those that shared the grief of separation and loss. To those who joined in my exuberance through achievement. To those that silently bore with me my failures and disappointments. To those that wished me success and accomplishment. To those that bore abuse and the wrath of misunderstanding against me. To those that advised and assured me with genuine sincerity. To those who remained with me despite my ignorance of their existence. To those that expressed their love and never got reciprocation from me. To those who expressed hate and disgust against me. To those that left this extended family and to those who joined us.

To them all, do I wish for this year that begins its journey today, 365 days of only joy and fulfillment. To them do I say, if I have erred to forgive. If I have not responded affection, my apologies. And if I have wronged to give me the space and time to repair.

If I have for some reason not heard your lone voice. If I have for some reason transgressed limits of tolerance. If my incoherence at times has been not understood or that it has sounded too lofty. If I have personally not been able to respond to your responses. If you have loved me and not been loved in return. If you have remained constant in my inconstancy. Sincere in my assumed insincerity.

Then …

Here I am to confess my wrongs and seek forgiveness.

But, if not, then here I am seeking your affection and continuance. Here I am to continue where we left off. To rise to travel to acquire to build and to reinforce a family that has through sheer strength of belief today grown into an enviable force. A force that is feared and respected, loved and admired, seen yet unseen. One that only accepts and imparts goodness of character, stillness of mind and the genuineness of faith.

To those below my age I give my love with respect of blessing, to those above, I seek the same.

It is 2010 today. May it embellish us with wisdom and happy thought. May it strengthen our association even further and may it provide us the opportunity to come closer in reality.

A happy new year to my extended family. You have been nearer to me than most I profess to know.

The family evening for Krishna ji was warm affectionate and birthday like. Much like the person she has always been - one of grace and deep consideration for all. And no amount of New Year eve cheer at the facility we were at, could match the feeling of warmth and togetherness that this wonderful lady and elder in the family brought along with her presence.

It was almost 13 years ago, at a similar New Year eve get together in Delhi, that Shweta and Nikhil had decided to promise each other in matrimony and sought our blessings. It was a moment which happened as suddenly as the hour struck midnight and a year passed by. Time has passed rapidly and much has transpired since. The additional joys in Navya- Naveli and Agastya has enlightened our respective homes. God has been kind to us.

At the midnight hour when it struck 12 in Bangkok and it was still around 9 PM here, the voices through modern communication, of these two precious gems wishing us for 2010, as they celebrated their holiday in Thailand with friends and their parents, seemed almost improbable. But .. was it not just the other new year that their parents had decided to get married !!

And now they move and act like two adults, joining us in mature conversation, teaching us a thing or two on the latest gizmo they acquire, and taking our breath away by the speed with which they function and conduct themselves. What a fantastic generation we live with in today’s times. And where this generation is headed is anyone’s guess. I feel privileged in their company, dwarfed by their intelligence and understanding and stumped by their ability to giggle at our naivety.

Long may they live and in peace and wellness !!

The Screen Awards are the first upon us as the season for Awards starts up. 9th of January 2010 is the date and the editorial calls to inform me that I am up for nomination for the Best Actor jury and also feature in the popular category Best Actor male, which gets decided by online voting. R Balki calls me to inform that Paa is up for 10 nominations and 3 Idiots sizably greater. Balki hates awards he tells me and asks whether we should be going. I tell him we must. I tell him the reason too why we must, but hesitate to share it with the FmXt. Perhaps when it is all over and time has passed sufficiently, then …

Not a very good start to the year many would say - keeping information away from the EF ? Agree ! But circumstances are such that it is at times wiser to be silent than to be with sound !!

Love you in abundance ..

Amitabh Bachchan