Happy Birthday Jaya !!

Happy Birthday Sharmila !!

And to all that would wish the wife, in advance, many many thanks …

Who started this ritual of celebrating births, making and cutting cakes, singing birthday ditties, presenting gifts ..? I didn’t and neither did any of the FmXt, I am certain. But, for years, the practice remains and flourishes … so be it !!

Jaya is better. Fever has gone and the movements have resumed, though there is still some weakness in sitting up for too long. Thank you all again for your concern and love.

And dear me … the number of scripts that came up today could keep me busy for the next 20 years ! They all seem excited and enthusiastic as they narrate and entice their prospective clients. Some through the gift of their tongue, some others through presentations on lap top, some through books magazines and constructed story boards – savy, modern and very connected.

And to think that for many years, when the computer became an important part of our lives, I believed that this rather complicated instrument was actually a more sophisticated modem for playing video games !! Ha ha … I really did !!

Scripts … yes, most of them dynamic and modern and almost all centered around the shooting of it, well most of it, in Europe or the USA. Fascinating ! And you never have the heart to refuse them. You wish to work in all of them, no matter how impractical it may seem. I see many EF wringing their hands in anticipation of visiting my shoots. Welcome dearest ones. And realize soon enough the hard world of the studio and the facing of the camera and the making of film. It is not as comfortable and easy as it may seem.

Bachchan Bol, the audio vog is attended to, every morning and soon we hope it shall be available to those outside Indian shores. But it is indeed a fascinating concept and shall become an important tool as time goes by. Many old timers and industry of yester year shall lament that, the practice of today in rapid communication has become the bane of their existence. The mystique and aura and exclusivity of the star diminishes they say. Many argue to the converse. If there were to be no communication, there would be no celebrity, for, the band wagon of all profile that reaches the realm of adulation, shall remain an unknown factor in this rapid and most effective information syndrome that we all find ourselves in.

If you do not tell, you do not dwell !!

PR agencies and marketing executives have never had it so good. Their client base has increased to proportions which can only be stated as horrendously large. There is a strategy for everything, a game plan for all, and a price to pay, if needed.

Do I lose out on my presence if I avoid such institutions ? Would it at all be of any use to me as I slide down hill somewhat rapidly. Nothing has been known to resurrect the dead and gone. So how would they account for me !!

I have always shied away from such embellishments ! Primarily because I do believe that other than the creative input, there really is no need to do any else. But I find in today’s times, equal if not more, efforts being made to endorse such feelings. And to my horror, finding out that they indeed did good. That sales and profile went up. That there was much talk on the presence than the content. This is sad and there must be a change, for greater talent and idea to come forth !

What does this do for those that believe that their work will do the talking. That no amount of publicity and selling shall have any influence on the final outcome. If the content and talent is good, good will happen !! If not, no amount of cajoling and prompting shall ever be registered.

In closing then there is a complimentary understanding for the offer of accepting the post of Professor Emeritus at the Symbiosis Institute. To share with them from time to time my own experiences and codes in the field of entertainment and other related, un related, curriculum. I shall accept. But do you think I should ?

The eyes begin to blur, the head dips dangerously off the chair, eyes and limbs are shutting off, but before they do, I must verify my status – do I possess any strengths at all. No .. none at all !! There has been an entire dependence on those that worked with me to take me through to the final path. They built it, I trod on it. Carefully albeit, but trod I did. And did I acquire anything prior or post. Hmm ..

And when they stopped, I stopped too. When they turned, I turned too. Not necessarily at the same speed or turn, but that is how, it has all happened. No drama, no complicated issues to solve, just a simple declaration of fact and then on ….

Good night dearest ones … you test my insomniac attributes !!

Amitabh Bachchan