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| My Amitabh Bachchan digital autographs sent on my Twiter handle on Big B birthday on October 11 |
Respected Superstar,
Dearest Amit-ji,
It dates back to two decades that as a teenager that I was sending you hand written mails in the hope that you shall reply to me. It's been my hero worship during the days when I looked up in anticipation at the postman, secretly hoping that I'll get a letter from Pratiksha Bungalow, Juhu 10th Road. I was a star struck teenager, secretly calling you 'Bhaiya' in my cute little heart.
Being a 90s kid, I longed for my next Amitabh Bachchan flick throughout the later part of the decade. Sadly, you broke the heart with your five year hiatus to shy away from the camera. I was wondering how someone like you can stay away from the shutterbug! It was crazy, I know for a fact that the Hindi film industry cannot exist without the mention of your name. Finally! You came back with Mrityudaata-I pushed myself to see sense in this one-and Lal Badshah followed-yeah, I enjoyed this one. Little did I realize that as fans we would face the tribulations you've gone through. It was painful to see our most loved superstar going through the worst phase in his career. I was silently praying that like the Phoenix, my superstar would rise from the ashes to make the world bow to his feet. After all, Heroes cannot face failure and not conquer it through sheer magnetic power. After all, you are Amitabh Bachchan. Finally, like in your movies, you won hearts with KBC, gave a new meaning to TV and experimented with a variety of roles. We found back our superstar who motivated us with snippet of wisdom on Kaun Banega Crorepati.
Amitji, you are such a motivating factor in my life. How you inspired me to wake up from my slumber in life? Often, when I am down, I think what you must have gone through to cope up with stress and beat the blues in life. It gives me such courage when I read your favorite line, 'Mann ka ho toh achcha .... na ho toh zyaada achcha !! kyun ki phir wo iswar ke man ka hota hai, aur iswar aap ka hamesha achcha chahega !!!'
It gives me the courage to get up in life and face tribulations as well as upsets thrown at me by life. When the mood is down, I watch your rendering of your father Shri Harishvansrai Bachchan favorite poem, Madhushala' which is soothing to the ears, heart and soul.
Did I tell you that as a teenager I would repeat your dialogues in front of the mirror?! Yes, I was repeating, 'Rishtey Mein Hum Tumhare Baap Lagte Hai Naam Hai Shahenshah, Vijay Dinanath Chauhan from Agneepath and Aaj Khush to Bahot hue from Deewar and got them recorded in the 'vintage' audio cassette. When Mom and Dad discovered my closely guarded secret, I didn't know where to bury my face.
Later, during college, I repeated the dialogues in front of friends during our Saturday daaru party and they would insist that I ape you in the golden, baritone voice. I did a good a job of aping you like a monkey. I need to narrate how after our college festival where I was a volunteer, I repeated the Shahenshah dialogue in front of a couple of students who clapped. It sent shiver down the spine and days later, a girl congratulated me for that. I can do a good job imitating you, Sir. Once I was walking down Fergusson College Road and there was a van of 'Indian Idol' stationed. I was prodded to sing a song and since, I don't know how to sing, I repeated Aaj Khush to Bahut Hue' from Deewar. I got a cool Tee of Indian Idol as a gift. So much for the Bachchan influence.
A bundle of memories you've given to me, right from childhood to teenage days and adulthood. You made me dream about movies and is the reason that I breath cinema in my veins. I wanted to become an actor and a film director and you were the reason that made me dream about cinema. Somehow, the dreams couldn't be translated into reality but my love for movies and Bachchan has not subsided over time. You played an important part in my growing years where I would watch you dance, laugh with you and do dishum dishum as you beat the villains.
What do an ardent and crazy Bachchan admirer types in a blog post?! For sure, it's been decades when I'd pour ink on paper, thinking what to write on the flawless white sheet that one would fold into the envelope. Today, you are one of the most active celebrities on the social media that re-defined our relationship with stars. It was imaginable, decades ago, for me to tweet you since the biggest superstar in the world or any other star, for that matter, were deemed unreachable like stars in the sky. There was a certain mystery surrounding film stars and an enigma that they are not within our reach but slunk on their throne in the sky. When you tweet me a personalized digital autograph, it's my Bachchan moment.
As you turn 72, this letter may not reach your abode in Mumbai, Amit-ji but it's my way to tell how much I love, revere and adore you coz you made dreams come true. Yes! I have been a crazy Amitabh Bachchan fan, nurturing dreams that someday that I can pen a book on you. That would be my aha moment in life. You've been a great influenc,e Amit Sir and thank you for the dreams, entertainment and inspiration to better myself as a human being. The dedication for your art, passion and zeal that you approach every new project with the keenness of a child puts the lazy me to shame. Perhaps, some day, we can meet 'again' and sit to talk about cinema. I got so much to show you, my collection of your posters, audio cassettes, magazines and press cuttings.
Post-letter: Like millions of fans, I've met you among the crowd a couple of times. I remember during a special show for Hum, there were several kids who jump the metal barriers as you got up to perform. The cops lathi charged us and you stopped them, shaking hands with each and everyone of us. As I grew up, I met you during the shooting of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, I got your autograph and again during the screening of Hum Kisse Se Kum Nahin, I gave you a birthday greeting card way back in 2000. I was sporting a French cut modeled on my superstar and remember you smiling and stroking the beard. It was my Bachchan moment. I met my God of acting that day.
With Love, respect and admiration,
Mr Bachchan & hope someday you get to read the letter from a child who grew up watching your movies for two decades.
Vishal
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