Amitabh Bachchan

What Wikipedia says...

"Amitabh Bachchan was born Inquilab Srivastava (11 October 1942]) is an Indian film actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s for films such as Zanjeer, Deewaar and Sholay, and was dubbed India's "angry young man" for his on-screen roles in Bollywood. Big B has since appeared in over 200 Indian films in a career spanning more than five decades. Bachchan is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema as well as world cinema.So total was his dominance on the Indian movie scene in the 1970s and 1980s that the French director François Truffaut called him a "one-man industry". Beyond the Indian subcontinent, he also has a large overseas following."

Of course there is so much of him in Wikipedia and the internet but this is my version and I do not intent to copy paste, but to write of what the man means to me. But of course, before AB there was Dilip Kumar who was and is known as the "thespian". He was a fine actor who was the original. He was senior to AB by 20 odd years. He is now 98 (Born 1922) and looked after by his wife. It is believed that AB was influenced by Dilip Kumar and he essayed roles like him. Another actor who was also influenced by Dilip Kumar was Shah Rukh Khan was is younger than him by 40 odd years. (SRK was born 1965). Some of Dilip Kumar's best movies include Ram Aur Shyam and Ganga Jamuna.

But let's get back to AB.

I myself was born in 1965.(Who's asking?)  So it was in 1973/74 we as  kids heard of AB. Everybody was talking of him. His movie Zanjzeer was a big hit. And we pretended to him in our various play-acting roles as we fooled around being in the cowboy infested westerns. And even as I grew up he continued to charm his way into our lives. Even though once Hema Malini displaced him momentarily as my first love. AB was big. Never mind mind that he was 22 years my senior but he was ageless really. Most film stars are.(but tops are mom and dad!). Many actors come and go but there few like AB. He was big. He did what pleased him. He even banned the media and the media in turn banned him for more than a decade. But it made little difference to his career. He had his share of failures and flops. But he always brushed them aside. He was going strong in his fifties. He was a CEO of his own company ABCL that saw him bite the dust. Hosting Miss World in Bangaluru was a nightmare. He had to plead with the authorities for permissions. Sometimes. fame has its price. He was down in the dumps but he rose again. He was broke but friends helped him out. And his acting career took off again. As did television. KBC was a hit from day one.

I saw him on television some days back. Of course, you see him on TV all the time in commercial spots, some paid and some for the government. But this was a rerun of a comedy show (Kapil) where he was the main guest.  At 75 plus he was still the same. Age is a wonderful thing because it makes you wise. And here was AB, in form, being praised by all. And the nice part was he was wiser. He was loved and respected by all. He was the super star. He was earning more than his son. He was still doing many movies. He was also in the umpteenth episode of KBC.  The man was on fire.

Ten years back or more I remember being asked to welcome him to a press conference. I was to meet him at the  entrance of the hotel where I stood as my seniors also did. He got out of his Lexus and then was putting on his coat/jacket. I held out my hand and said, "Welcome Mr Bachchan."

He looked askance at me. Of course, usually the Chairman or the CEO of the company would meet a brand ambassador like Mr. AB.

But I stuck my hand out and Mr Bachchan took it.

Then I led him through the lounge area and explained the program. He followed and nodded to show that he was listening. Tall and langley, he was normal in all aspects  but the aura around him was surreal. He was AB.

I told my nephew later on phone that I had met the legend.

He told me not to wash my hands till I met him. (my nephew)