Big B still young at heart

Now that Amitabh Bachchan is playing a young-at-heart role in his next film, we try to gauge how youthful he really is. And we are impressed...

Big B still young at heart

Now that Amitabh Bachchan is playing a young-at-heart role in his next film, we try to gauge how youthful he really is. And we are impressed...

As we all know that Big B's next, Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap will portray the illustrious star as a 60-year-old young senior, who is young at heart and refuses to be labeled 'buddah'.

Big B talks about Ash's pregnancy

Is it true that your look in the film is inspired by Rajnikanth?
No. This is something that Puri Jagannadh (the director of the film) narrated to me about this cool, lighthearted jovial fellow, who at the same time had a mission. It is a flamboyant kind of a character. So we got the designer to dress him accordingly. Most of the wardrobe is my personal stuff, like glares, jackets and jeans, etc. The scarves are designed by the designer.

Is it true that the seven teasers costu00a0u00a0 R 2 crore?
I don't know. You will have to ask Viacom for those details.

You are known to be very modern in your thinking. But is there anything about the new generation that you are intolerant towards?
Every generation has its own beliefs. We belong to a different life, different generation. But there are certain things that we want our children to follow. I, as a parent, would like to pay attention to what values the children are imbibing. I am not intolerant to anything.

But you are not very tolerant of expletives being used in films...
That I do. I don't use it personally because I don't feel right about it. I don't use it in films because it is a public platform and I wouldn't be comfortable. I do not like to use abusive language, but if this generation likes it and uses it liberally, it is their personal decision. This is how I want to conduct myself.

Youngsters use expletives freely these days. Isn't cinema the reflection of what's true in real life?
But the point is, is that correct for the society? You may feel it is right, someone else might not feel so. I feel that if you are going to affect someone, you can't be doing it.

Do you think the modern scripts and lyrics lack the charm of the old times?
Yes, I think the writing of those days was lot more poetic, lot more lyrical with lot more meaning. The kind of reaction that I get for my dialogues from old films like Agneepath, Deewar, etc. even now is amazing. The younger generation still wants to hear it and most of them were not even born when these movies were released. This just goes to show that there is some kind of attraction in them. That is the kind of writing you don't get to see now.

You have been married for 38 years. Do you think marriage as an institution works in modern times?
Why not? Sure. I don't see any problem.

Is there something that you haven't been able to do, that you want to do now?
I would like to learn a foreign language; French, German, Russian or even Spanish. I would also like to learn playing a musical instrument, either piano or sitar.

When do you feel the generation gap?
Not much really. I am more liberal in my thinking. I feel the gap when I listen to the music of 60s and 70s, and when these youngsters don't relate to it. Some of them don't even know the greats of those days.

Do you regret losing touch with anyone who was a part of your younger years?
I regret not being around at a time when geniuses like Bimal Roy, Mehboob Khan and Guru Dutt made movies. Amongst the people I have worked with and now miss working with are Hrishida (Hrishikesh Mukherjee), Prakash Mehra, Manmohan Desai and I miss the combination of Salim-Javed. Amongst my personal friends, I have kept in touch with all of them.

Would you call yourself an optimist?
No, I am a pessimist. I am always worried about things going wrong.

Tell us more about Buddhah Hoga Terra Baap from a producer's point of view...
Puri Jagannadh is making the film. I had seen some of his films like Pokhri that was later made in to Wanted. Ram Gopal Varma got him to us.

We liked the script. Abhishek and I decided to produce it. But we wanted to do the film in a controlled budget. So we made it in R 10 crores. We have already sold our satellite rights for R 13.5 crores.

The project has been very well planned. Puri has great management and planning skills.

Just about a month and half after the shooting was over, he is ready to release it. I have always believed that the South has this advantage over us.
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They are very efficient, professional and disciplined. Hemaji is back with me in the film and there is Raveena, Sonal Chauhan and Charmy. The music is by Vishal Shekhar. I have sung three songs. There is a medley, which Abhishek has sung.

Big B on the 'good' news...
"Jaya and I are delighted at the news (bahu Ash's pregnancy). We wish to thank all our fans and well-wishers for their affection and seek your blessing and love for the coming days..."