Blog: Please answer your fans Mr. Amitabh Bachchan 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, January 17, 2007 - 09:21 IST
Serious thoughts cross my mind as I listen to some of the most devout admirers of Dr. Amitabh Bachchan who have stood by him
through thick and thin during all the thirty-six years and more that he has been around and ruling supreme.
These “Bhakts” of the Bachchan are anxious about some roles Bachchan has played in some films in the past and two films which
he has agreed to play now, one complete and one in the making, ‘Nishabd’ and ‘Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay’. They very strongly
feel that Bachchan should not have agreed to play the philanderer. The ageing man with a strong weakness for women in “Kabhi
Alvida Na Kehna”. They genuinely and sincerely feel that the role did not suit his age and certainly not the grace, the dignity and
the status which he has earned for himself. Now they are upset and are wondering why their icon is playing the elderly man madly
in love with a nymphet in Ram Gopal Varma’s “Nishabd” and shocked with his decision to play Gabbar Singh in “Ram Gopal
Varma Ke Sholay” which RGV time and again claims to be his tribute to Ramesh Sippy’s all-time classic, “Sholay”. Some of them
refuse to see their icon trying his time-tested talent in playing a variety of roles to prove his caliber as a complete actor. Some
others go to the unimaginable extent of blaming Ram Gopal Varma for slowly but certainly damaging the image of the greatest icon
of all times.
One woman in her early fifties, a school teacher, even grows unreasonable and illogical when she blames Varma for carrying on “a
one-man wicked crusade” to destroy the man of a million dreams, first with “Sarkar” and now with “Nishabd” and “Ram Gopal Ke
Sholay”. She says “Ramuji” was playing with the innocent ambition of “the actor among all actors”. Even as Dr. Bachchan is
completing his shooting as Gabbar Singh and waiting for the release of “Nishabd”, I give you some of their views and they are not
views coming from the illiterate of the much-under-rated “janata”. Besides the school teacher, I have two doctors, a house wife
and a twenty-two year old young woman doing her final year in law. Listen to them, they have a voice and they want their voice to
be heard.
Dr. Nachar is a practicing family doctor in Ghatkopar. He is so crazy about “Bachchanji” as he calls him that he has his dispensary
plastered with hundreds of photographs of “Bachchanji”. The doctor sometimes prescribes an Amitabh Bachchan film to his
patients and buys tickets for those who cannot afford to. Says Dr. Nachar, “I have never dared to question Bachchanji whom I
consider to be an avatar of God. But some of his recent roles are giving me sleepless nights. Where was the need for him to play
Sam in “KANK” and now as if that was not enough he has fallen into the wild trap of Ram Gopal Varma by agreeing to play
Gabbar Singh and the old man in love with a girl less than one-fourth of his age in “Nishabd” which I am told is based on “Lolita”
which is a very dirty book which I have read. I have always told my patients that “Bachchanji” is the modern day “Mahapurush”.
What will i tell them now?"
Dr. Vinod Thakkar who lived in Surat and Baroda for years has now started his own medical equipment factory in Mumbai. He has
been a very busy man but has never missed any Bachchan film. Says Dr. Thakkar, “Bachchan Sahab ko aise nahin karma
chhaahiye. I respected him like a brother once and now I respect him like my father. As a brother you don’t get upset so much. But
when your father does certain unexpected things it really comes as a big shock. I saw “KANK” with my family who knew how
much I love Bachchan Sahab. I couldn’t answer the questions they asked me after they saw him in the film. And now I have heard
that he is playing Gabbar Singh in a film which I am sure will be a hopeless film. I don’t care what happens t the film but I am
worried about what that man Varma will do to Bachchan Sahab’s image by cheating him into playing Gabbar Singh. He is also
playing the old man in a vulgar film being made by Varma. Why is Bachchan Sahab doing all these roles to hurt his fans like me? I
am sure there are may others who will agree with me. But will not talk. I am talking because he is my father, mera baap hai,
Bachchan Sahab.
Mrs. Charu Kanani was a fan of the Bachchan when she was nineteen. She confesses she was in love with him then. She is a
mother in law and a grand mother now but her affection for her hero only grows stronger. She keeps in touch with all that happens
in Bachchan’s life as an actor and also his real life and keeps asking me endless questions about him every week. This time she has
only one big question – “Why is my Amitabh Bachchan doing all these dirty roles at this age? My children who have seen my
madness for his now tell me how my great hero has gone mad in his old age by playing all kinds of roles, which can be played by
any other actor but not by my Amitabh Bachchan. What do I tell my children when they make fun of me and my great hero?”
Says Sunita Sampai who is doing her degree in law. “Bachchan has been a part of our family. My grandparents loved him, my
parents worshiped and he is my favourite actor. There are many young heroes today but I think there can be no one like Bachchan.
But I cannot understand why he is experimenting with roles which I am sure will not appeal to his admirer and well wishers who
have prayed for him.”
These are just some of the many anxious voices about the new and bold steps taken by the actor of the millennium. I wonder what
he has to say.
Soniya G’s blog can be accessed at
http://mybollywood.rediffiland.com
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