My Brother, Abhishek

As my mother explains it, she chose the name Abhishek, for her second born, and only son, because it means the anointing of a king or God- in her context it was Amitabh Abhishek- the crowning glory of her husband. At the hospital that day, there was an atmosphere of celebration- my father opened bottles of champagne, though it was strictly forbidden, and everyone, including the reluctant nurses imbibed and partook in the revelry. So, Abhishek brought with him euphoria and merriment; the air was thick with bubbles and the pop of corks and before the new born could even utter his first independent cry, his destiny was thrust on him – he was to the manor born… and Abhishek would not disappoint.

I admire his ability to carry such an awesome mantle with such grace, yet never losing his innate affability. Seldom, in these many years have I come across anyone who is impervious to his charm and effervescence. Yet very few could grasp what it would feel like to be in his shoes, while he himself has much bigger shoes to fill. He makes it look effortless.

Ever since he was a boy, he wanted to act. He enjoyed going on the sets and struck up friendships with the entire unit, they indulged him and I remember him making a boy’s game out of serious props like swords and hand pistols. The sets were truly his playground. At home he enacted action sequences with all his vigour, me and my hapless dolls and teddy bears bearing the brunt of his melodramatic fury. I correct myself, he didn’t want to grow up to be an actor- he wanted to grow up and be Amitabh Bachchan! Today when I see him on screen, larger than life, it feels surreal, glimmers of his make believe world of dangerous villains and man eating monster’s flash through my mind.

Many a time people get taken in by the boyish pranks and fail to see the man inside- who has tremendous grit, it may take him time to get to where he wants but get there he will…have no doubt about it. He is capable of such maturity and intensity in his performances it belies his years. I have to admit I have watched all his movies behind a veil of tears, tears of joy and pride that he is realizing his dream and my mother’s – Amitabh Abhishek- Amitabh’s crowning glory!

Shweta Nanda

You do appreciate of course that this comes out here even before it gets published and I wish to thank the editor for agreeing to allow me to do this.

Most of today has been spent initiating a new concept, a new facility, a new endeavor, for greater connectivity. The expanse of mediums has made our lives so much more transparent and available. At a media event recently a senior journalist questioned me on my desire to write, to express on blog and in them to open as it were information and thoughts that I lived with in an entire day. The premise being that for someone who had kept away from the media, ban and all, for most parts of his career, it was unusual for him now to be so available and in a sense pandering to the fourth estate as it were. I had wondered over the question. When I was not speaking, the allegation was ‘ why was I not speaking ‘. And when you do, its ‘ why are you speaking so much to the media ‘. To me it seemed odd that the medium would want to regulate the opening and closing of my voice box ! It strengthened my argument that the medium would ideally want you to speak when they felt they needed you to speak and conversely to shut up when they did not desire it. What could possibly be their reason to behave thus ? Simple. The copy and thereby the commerce of the day did not suit them or the agenda set up at their editorial early morning meet.

Would you therefore wish to address this as a selfish act ? On ground level perhaps yes. But look around. How many other professions negate the respect that is required towards commerce. Lets not go too far. Look at our own profession. In film, are we prone to follow principles that do away with commerce ? Do we ever make a product, investing time, energy, creativity and money with the intent of a free box office ? No. Then why question the media. Media is a business too and shall perforce have to follow basics of business, or perish.

The lady journalist that asked me this question defended her argument by stating that by my excessive exposure, the ‘mystique’ that surrounded me would disappear. A mystique that had for many stars across the globe, become an endearing quality in building and maintaining a greater life span.

I told the affable lady - ” Ma’am ! I am 68 years old. Not much longer to go. What good is it going to do to hold on to mystique when you are on the other end of the hill and sliding down rapidly to the bottom ? “

She was honest in her response - ” I have no answer to that. You have me there ! “

So to return to the regulation of voice boxes for their own end, it would be difficult to understand whether de regulation by the media, would fall into a similar abyss. Could it not be then, that a regulated comment or byte by desired individual, keeping in mind its potentially large commercial prospects, be deliberately de regulated to extend commercial prospect !

And in doing so, does the medium not become guilty of looking merely at their own selfish end, without any concern for two of the most important ingredients in the matter - the issue and the individual !??!

And I ask the medium. Does it ever bother you whether this, seemingly innocuous aberration in your act ; and in what you believe to be of no consequence, could bring an ocean of turmoil to the party concerned. Does it ever occur to you that the strength and force and believability of the medium, has the absolute power to change, pollute and corrupt a regulated voice to be made to sound deregulatory ? Does it ever occur to you the consequences such deregulation creates ? Would you not agree, that in succumbing to such act, you offer reason and opportunity to those that would choose to interpret it in their own way and interest ? And would you not agree that in the final outcome, it is not the individual or the specific issue that gets affected, but the neighbor or the common man that unknowingly and most unfortunately, becomes an innocent victim ?

Has the medium ever had the courage and the guts to pronounce boldly what is right and what is wrong and has it then made any concrete efforts to banish or disassociate those, through their power of projection, that have not necessarily through their own desire, taken umbrage and now turning the moment to represent a cause that is not acceptable to them ??

In any part of the world at any given time and place there shall always be issues, sensitive enough to provoke revolt, repulsion and disagreement. Prodding them into activation could be looked upon by the medium as ‘investigative’ and the ‘need for the populace to be informed’. Agree. But it could also be looked upon as deliberate instigation for, if I may be allowed to be candid, good copy and commercial enhancement.

Issues and individuals be damned. Job done. Shut the shop. Get to bed for peaceful slumber. And why bother about the pain and anguish and personal harm that you may have set about, by letting the cat out into the pigeons !!

Think about it ! Zara sooach ke dekhiye !!

My love as always - to those that understand and to those that may never understand !

Amitabh Bachchan