The Amitabh Bachchan Subject

[Anchu]

The other Big B

L Subramani speaks with Nizhalgal Ravi, the man behind Big B's
voice, in the Tamil version of KBC(2).


When Amitabh Bachchan speaks Tamil, audiences are awestruck. They
listen to him with disbelief, unable to find a word mispronounced
after hours of careful scanning. But, barely days after the second
coming of KBC (2), viewers found out it that it wasn't Amitabh
speaking the flawless Tamil, but the popular character artiste
Nizhalgal Ravi.

Ravi has been credited for KBC2's (or Nambikkaiku Mele Double)
popularity in Vijay TV and for its rapid climb in the ratings. His
is widely accepted as the perfect replication of Bachchan's voice
with all its nuances. "This is certainly one of my biggest
projects," preens the artiste, also an actor, who has completed 25
years in the film industry.

"`Seventh Channel' told me that I've to dub for a famous actor. When
I discovered it's Amitabhji, I was quite thrilled. Amitabhji
personally preferred my voice to the various other ones in the
category."

To be the virtual voice of "the most famous actor" did make Ravi
nervous, but the positive feedback he received right after the first
episode went on air (in August) boosted his confidence. Imitating
Bachchan isn't new for him. "As a college student, I used to speak
the dialogues from Amitabhji's movies in his voice," says Ravi.

Ravi admits that picking up the subtleties of Bachchan's voice and
mannerisms needed long hours of listening and watching. While
seeking answers from the computer, for instance, Bachchan would
reduce his voice and keep his face serious. As the contestant
delivers the right answer, his tone would rise with the music.

"The programme has excited my film fans as well," Ravi
mentions, "Wherever I go for shooting, people shake hands with me
and tell me I'm doing a good job in KBC2. Nobody expected the
programme to be a great hit with the public, but to get such a
widespread appreciation is fantastic." He reveals that `Big B' was
so happy that he was even willing to retain his voice for all his
future Tamil projects.

In an industry awash with superstitions, opportunities in the small
screen are often a sign that the going isn't great for an actor. In
Ravi's case though, television has been helpful in reinventing
himself. Ravi's career has been steady in the last two-and-a-half
decades; the high point being films like Nayagan, Annamalai, and
Marupadium. But his role in two of Balachander's small-screen-epics:
Rail sneham and Jannal, also won him wide appreciation.

Apart from opportunities in television, Ravi also made his debut as
a dubbing artist with Balachander: lending his voice to Rahman in
Pudhuppudhu Arthangal. Saravanan is Ravi's latest movie.

bron:http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/f...er1043172006216

[Anchu]

Valentine’s Day tribute to Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan are two prominent names in the
Bollywood to reckon with and their contribution to the Hindi film
industry is stupendous.
The lanky youth who pioneered the concept of `angry young men' was
none other than Amitabh Bachchan.He met Jaya Bhaduri, one of the most
talented actress of Bollywood, at the Film And Television Institute of
Pune.
It was cited to be the `love at first sight' affair and they tied the
nuptial not 0n June3, 1973.

They enjoyed the marital bliss for some years and were blessed with
two offsprings: Shweta and Abhishek.But life is not a bed of roses
always and to her utter astonishment, Jaya Bachchan found her husband
Amitabh Bachchan involved in a clandestine love affair with Rekha, the
then Queen of seduction.
Their love story started in the sets of `Do Anjaane' and later on the
pair went on doing films together like `Khoon Pasina', `Ganga ki
Saugandh', `Suhaag','Muqaddar ka Sikandar', `Ram Balram',and `Mr.
Natwarlal'.

During this crisis, Jaya Bachchan, much to her credit, didn't make a
big deal of the issue in public and gracefully held onto her privacy
and marriage. She fought for her rights with dignity. To quote
Rekha,"Jayaji called me for dinner one evening and we spoke about
everything but `him'. Before I left, she made sure to tell me, `I will
never leave Amit whatever happens'."

Jaya Bachchan, unlike the other ladies of her time, didn't shed any
tears in front of the public. The only exception was Yash Chopra's
`Silsila' (1981)starring Amitabh, Rekha and Jaya Bachchan herself. It
was a portrayal of the romantic triangle and infidelity and it
supposedly mirrored the real life in reel.

Jaya's dignity and grace succeeded in winning Amitabh back. Around
that time when `Silsila' was portraying the controversial love affair,
the Rekha Amitabh duo split. It amply proves that true love may fall
for temptations and seductions but it never gets defeated. It
overcomes all the difficulties and tribulations and Amitabh and Jaya
Bachchan's married life is a testimony to that.

http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/ami...hchanthelegend

[Anchu]

Will Smith to get jiggy with AB

The Fresh Prince is to land in India early Sunday morning for a
whirlwind week of unveiling, special appearances and sight-seeing —
and you can be sure that he'll find time to get jiggy with it.

Hollywood star and one of the world's best looking men, Will Smith,
has been invited by Sony Entertainment to launch their new English
movie channel Pix, expected to kick off with a week-long festival of
the star's films.

The star of such films as Men In Black, Independence Day, Ali and
Hitch, is expected to make his landing in Delhi. Sources said that
Smith will make the trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and will arrive
in Mumbai soon after.

On his itinerary here is a breakfast meeting with Sony CEO Kunal
Dasgupta and Columbia Tristar's MD Uday Singh, presenting an award at
a film night and a by invitation only party on Thursday night at the
Taj Lands End poolside.

Columbia is also slated to release romantic comedy Saving Face, a
movie produced by Smith, in the week that the actor is in town.

Smith, who also has a successful rap career, will shoot at the Indian
Idol 2 studios in Parel between it all.

The organisers have also arranged a meeting between Smith and Amitabh
Bachchan. The buzz is that Smith will attend a party at the Bachchan
residence, certain to star all of the Bollywood biggies.

And with their special guest in from the Wild Wild West, the one song
we're sure that they'll groove to is Smith's latest chartbuster Switch.

http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/ami...hchanthelegend

[Anchu]

Bachchan returns to work

By: Subhash K Jha
February 21, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Amitabh Bachchan is off to a driving start
The film industry heaved a sigh of relief as Amitabh Bachchan stepped out of his Jalsa residence to return to work after his surgery and recuperation, with a song recording for Ravi Chopra’s film, Babul.

The song, Bachchan’s first professional outing since his illness last year, was recorded for family friend, music director Aadesh Shrivastava, at Shrivastava’s new studio, AV Sound, on February 19.

Hip-hop number

Says Aadesh, “It all happened suddenly. On February 18, I inaugurated my new recording studio. I’d have liked nothing better than to start with Dada’s (Bachchan) recording, but I wasn’t sure whether he’d be able to make it.

By evening, I was told he was on. We recorded the song, Come on come on chalo jashn manaye — a hip-hop number written by Sameer —through the night, from11.30 pm to 2 am.”

With vim and vigour

Adds Aadesh, “Hats off to that amazing man, whom I worship. Just out of his illness, he rendered my difficult song with all the energy, verve and spirit we expect from him. I’ve got Dada to record several songs for me - we first did a song in Major Saab, and since then, I’ve become a part of his world. If I had my way, I’d have Dada sing all the songs that I compose for his films. In Baghban, he gave beautiful _expression to Tu kahan main yahan! I intend to make him sing at least three of the songs in Babul.”

Born singer

In fact, Bachchan recorded another song for Shrivastava, for Babul, on Monday night. Says the music director, “This time it’s a sad song. I feel doubly blessed. That Dada should’ve returned to work after his illness with two songs for me makes me feel very privileged.

You know, Dada always underestimates his singing. He wants us all to believe that he cannot really sing. But the fact is, he can give expressions in a song that others can’t even think of.”

http://web.mid-day.com/hitlist/2006/february/131335.htm

[Anchu]

Read what he says at the end, if he show up on the awards funktion, then the whole ppl will go mad

I might.

[Anchu]

Big B lends his voice for Babul

By IndiaFM News Bureau, February 21, 2006 - 04:46 IST

After recuperating from illness, Amitabh Bachchan is once again
making news. He is all set to create his magic on his fans. He is
back to his work with a song recording for his forthcoming film
Babul. Music director Adesh Shrivastav recorded this song at his new
studio, AV Sound, on Sunday.

Adesh informed that it all happened suddenly. On Saturday he
inaugurated his new recording studio and wanted to start recording
with Amitabh but was not sure due to his illness. But Big B agreed
to sing for him on Sunday. The song `Chalo Jashn Manaye' is a hip-
hop number written by Sameer.

This is not the first time that Big B is singing with Adesh
Shrivastava. They have earlier worked together in `Major Saab'
and `Baghban'.

http://www.indiafm.com/news/2006/02/21/6716/index.html

[Anchu]

Amitabh Back To Work ! To Cut Album With Abhishek

By: Abid


According to one of Bollywood's seniormost journalist , megasatar
Amitabh Bachchan is back to work after his recent bout of
illness/hospitalisation . He is to going to dub for Vidhu Vinod
Chopra's 'Eklavya' soon . He recenly had a recording session with
Aadesh Srivastava for Ravi Chopra's 'Babul' . Also on the anvil is
an album , to be composed by Vishal & Shekhar , where he will sing
with his son Abhishek . It will be produced by Rohan Sippy .


As may be recalled , Amitabh had acted with Abhishek in two films
('Bunty Aur Babli' , 'Sarkaar') in 2005 and both succeeded at the
box-office . In will be interesting to see if he can bring the same
luck to Abhishek's singing career also.

[Anchu]

Amitabh Bachchan: The Godfather of Bollywood

Amitabh Bachchan is back ! Big B recorded a number for Ravi Chopra's
film Babul, co-starring Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee. The song — a
Punjabi hip-hop number by lyricist Sameer: Come on, come on, chalo
jashn manaye … its really the time for Big B fans like us to
celebrate !!

A lot has been written about Amitabh Bachchan on the success he has
achieved in his three-decade-long Hindi film career. Perhaps there
is little left to analyse and glorify the legendary status he
enjoys. What actually separates Big B from other stalwarts is not
merely the unprecedented charisma he carries; rather it is his sheer
ability to handle the maddening across-the-globe adulation that he
has been showered with over the years.

Big B entered into my consciousness along with my adolescence. It
wasn't actually his peak then, but still the aura was unmissing.
After having seen a bulk of his blockbusters, what actually
confirmed my belief was that he is definitely the Godfather of
Bollywood. There had been better performers in the past, and there
will be some, but Amitabh is simply unparalled. He is the greatest
brand that Bollywood has ever packaged.

Today even at 62, he continues to be perhaps the busiest actor in
Bollywood with roles still specially being written for him. For, in
films like Baghban, Black, Sarkar, Viruddh, he has shown how he
comfortably can rise above any script and breathe new life into the
roles he plays.

http://www.desifans.com/blogs/2006647

[Anchu]

Pakistanis are crazy about Mr Bachchan

Vidya Balan relives her first trip to Karachi for a book release

Ram Kamal Mukherjee



I tried to peer down from the airplane window when the pilot
announced that we would be landing at the Karachi International
Airport shortly. I have travelled abroad many time, but Pakistan to
me is home away from home.

My purpose for going there was for a book release, something I was
excited about. I had heard a lot about the author Mehnaaz Malik, who
is an international lawyer, a filmmaker and a noted author. She
invited me to launch her third book titled Mo's Star, which is
basically a fantasy tale for children.

On the day of the event I wore a cream-coloured salwar kameez which
was designed by Haseena Jethmalani and Leetu Shivdasani. I chose to
wear a salwar and not a sari because I think a salwar is both ethnic
and contemporary.

The stage design was based on the winter in Antartica, so it had
artificial snow and a huge portrait of a Penguin in the corner. Cora
Lynn Deibler the assistant head of the department of Art and Art
History from the University of Connecticut who has done the
illustration for the book and noted filmmaker Michael Radford (of Il
Postino fame) who has directed the English audio version of the book
were also present. Mehnaaz read the excerpts in English and I read
the verses in Urdu. I was very skeptical and unsure about my Urdu
pronunciation, so before leaving for Karachi I took Urdu classes
from theatre director Salim Arif. The language is quite like Hindi,
but I wanted to be very sure about the diction. As for the event, it
was more of a performance than just a book release.

The royalty the book earns will be directed towards the cause of
educating the underprivileged children in Pakistan under a campaign
called `Reaching The Stars' and `Citizens Foundation School' in
Pakistan.

The book-reading session lasted for 15 minutes and was followed by
an interaction with Pakistani media and guests. I was surprised to
find the media and general public are well up on Indian cinema. They
have seen my film Parineeta and they loved the saris and blouses
I've worn in the film. Most of the Pakistanis are crazy about
Amitabh Bachchan, they were very happy to know that I have worked
with him in Eklavya. I wanted to shop and see the city, but we had a
tight schedule and I could hardly see any historical places.

Due to high security I couldn't even shop in Karachi. Somehow I
managed to buy kajal from a nearby shop. I had a tough time in
Pakistan being a hard core vegetarian. On the last day, we were
invited to Mehnaaz Malik's house for dinner. She had cooked some
delicious vegetarian food for me, which I relished. She had also
organised a qawwali show by the famous Mehmood Sabri. They rendered
Urdu and Persian qawalis; which they explained in English making the
music even more enjoyable.


* I had a tough time there being a vegetarian. On the last day, we
were invited to Mehnaaz Malik's house for dinner. She had cooked
vegetarian food for me, which I relished.

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp?

[Anchu]