Amitabh Bachchan's Official Blog

DAY 1588

Jalsa, Mumbai Aug 22/23, 2012 Wed/Thu 1 : 36 AM

It is now a recognized fact that the busiest person should be given the job you want done, for it shall be done. A hundred work loads today and even though its past the hour when one should be recovering from the rigors of the day, I feel I am ready to start all over again … naaah !! Just kidding ! Flacking out !

But nee’r a moment without the Ef, without the TwFmXt and now the FbXF - the Facebook extended family, which I might add has shown extraordinary support in crossing 1 million likes or fans or the good name they may be, in a mere matter of a single day !!

The new medium has some rather fascinating features, and in due course of time I shall hopefully be gaining enough about them to start putting them to good use and giving it a slight personal touch. But …. may it be known that the Ef and the Blog which in many ways began this entire story will be first.

So to get back to business .. the day started early after a mere 4 hour rest. I was to be at the press conference of the release and the inauguration of the KBC Van, a mobile unit that carries with it the entire KBC module from city to city and gives an opportunity for those that wish to play a mock game by planting themselves on the hot seat to answer questions, paying not what KBC pays, but a small token amount of prize content, which we hope the winner could enjoy !

The traffic was horrendous. A journey that should take not more than 20 mins, took an hour and 20 mins., somewhat defeating a recent complementary article by that very endearing journalist Ali Peter John, of how punctual a person I was !! I did inform the press, of my travails and to their credit they were most understanding - many of them having faced similar condition !

A ribbon was cut, in slow motion. The media wanted that, so I mimed a 60 frames movement and that brought several smiles, thankfully, a few pertinent questions were asked and answered, and I was allowed a quickish departure to another floor in the Film City to shoot the promos for the Press Conference to be held on the 29th of the month. After several takes and safety takes and many lens changes and film speed changes, an approval was given and it was back to the KBC floor - same as last time, no 16, the one where I remembered my association with it for the shooting of the film ‘Black’.

Remo, the gentle and kindly choreographer was there to demonstrate the song movements and after a dozen rehearsals and a hundred discussions by the tech team on set, I was packed off to the van to make a costume change for the rest of the rehearsal.

By far the most delightful moment of the day was meeting and seeing the Shillong Choir, a young group of boys and girls from the North East, performing some wonderful renditions of … ahah .. cannot disclose all that just yet, songs. It was pretty ‘goose bumps’ material !

Does anyone know why its called ‘goose bumps’ ??

Anyway .. its not over yet .. a quick change of props and it was on to the game itself, with contestants from random pickings coming on most sportingly to support our tech rehearsal. A few minor corrections later I was eventually allowed to find my way home .. and to face even greater traffic. This time it took me 2 hrs to get in, but the getting in was quickly reversed from irritation of delay to one of elation. Shweta and Aishwarya and Aaradhya there to receive me and give me dinner. The little one had gone out for a drive and dozed off, so she was not too receptive, but on seeing strange gent with white beard, she gave her first smile of the evening, in somewhat reserved fashion. No issues there. Even the gentlest of expressions have the ability to wipe and wash away all the fatigue and tensions of the day .. little ones are naturally gifted with such godly attributes.

A quick bite of dinner followed and it was back to the traffic again to meet the Shillong Choir at Aadesh Srivastava’s recording studio, where a few lines had to be done by me on their request. The few lines ended up in many more and more time consumption. Incidentally the studio is exactly 3 mins away from my place, but tonight it took 45 mins !!

Make up followed next as tests. The programme KBC will be broadcast on HD, high definition and make up needs special care for it. As soon as that got over .. i migrated to the best part of the evening - this and many such other pages, that occupy my life entirely these days ….

I had wished to load many more pictures but, something is not being done right. Which is why just one has managed to creep in on the Blog.

Tomorrow begins the formal game show recordings. Just one to start off, later to increase to two. Then from FilmCity straight to Prabha Devi and a function being organized by Vijju Shah, Kalyanji Bhai’s son in memory of his Father on his death anniversary. A must for me, even for a short while. Many memories of time spent with him and his music in his music hall, shall someday form the text of my Blog, hopefully.

Soon after that another longish drive to the Taj Hotel to honor all the Olympic winners at a function organized by a non profit body that is training and encouraging more sportsmen and women to compete and represent the country at the great games, the Olympics.

The long drives from one venue to another shall be utilized of course in catching up with paper work and phone calls, that shall need immediate attention.

That dearest Ef is just another day in the life of your AB..

My love to you …my sincere wishes for a pleasant night, and a hope of seeing you again in the morrow ..

Amitabh Bachchan