“Shamitabh has been as challenging as Paa” – Amitabh Bachchan

By Subhash K. Jha -

January 19, 2015 - 10:24 AM IST

Amitabh Bachchan in conversation with Subhash K Jha

The trailer of your next release Shamitabh shows you playing a raging drunken man.Since you don't drink a drop in real life how difficult was it for you to play the character?

As difficult as playing a Don or doing a Deewaar or an Alzheimer stricken character from Black.One does not necessarily have to consume alcohol to be intoxicated. Life itself is an intoxication!

One remembers with immense pleasure your drunken act in Amar Akbar Anthony, Hum,Sharaabi and Black. Which is your favourite drunken scene from your repertoire?

All I hope!

In Shamitabh you talk about teaming up with others to make a complete entity. Do you believe every human being needs help to be complete?

Every human being may not necessarily need help to be complete.But if it came it would be most welcome,provided it is positive in nature.In Shamitabh it certainly becomes a positive force.

What was it like working with Balki for the third time? Was your character in Shamitabh as challenging, and challenged, as the one in Paa?

For me my work is the most enjoyable and comforting experience. Challenges are there in each project that I have done and shall continue to be so. Shamitabh has been as challenging as Paa or any other that I have worked in. And working with Balki is a joy, simply because he keeps challenging me with roles that I may never have done before.

What was it like sharing screen space with Dhanush and Akshara, both your unabashed fans?

Work ...when the camera starts is not relatable to fan worship or any other kind ofworship that you imagine comes my way. It does not. When the director shouts 'action', we start to act. Mother, father, brother, sister, uncle, grandfather, fan worshipper, or any other, gets thrown out of the window. Or the set in this case!

In Shamitabh you've collaborated for the 2nd time with the great Ilayaraja? How was that experience?

His genius is unmatched. I can only consider myself to be blessed and truly fortunate that I have had two opportunities to work with him.

You've sung for composers as varied as Rajesh Roshan, Shiv-Hari, Aadesh Shrivasava andVishal Bhardwaj. Which of these composers have been the most challenging to work with?

And Kalyanji-Anandji, Laximikant-Pyarelal, Vishal-Shekhar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Saleem-Sulaiman, Himesh Reshamiya, RD Burman, Anu Malik. And several others you have forgotten to mention. All of them have been challenging because I am no singer and all the music directors have had a terrible time keeping me in tune and presentable.

Which among your songs are your favourites?

I like all of them.

Shamitabh is your first release since Bhoothnath Returns. Why didn't we get to see more of you on the big screen during the past year?

Because there were no offers.

Please tell me about your other projects during the coming year?

There is Piku with Shoojit Sircar.It has Deepika and Irfaan Khan with me. This is complete and should be the next release sometime in April. And then there is Wazir directed by Bejoy Nambiar, produced by Vinod Chopra, with Farhan Akhtar and Aditi Rao Hydari.

How do you react to the year that was,personally and generally speaking?

Ek aur saal beet gaya...