The Amitabh Bachchan Subject

[Anchu]

Working with Hrishida was unbelievable experience: Amitabh

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IANS


Superstar Amitabh Bachchan was effusive in his praise for director Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who died Sunday, saying he was like a "father figure" to him and his wife Jaya while asserting "they don't create people like him any more".

"Hrishida was like a father figure to me and my wife, Jaya. Working with him was an unbelievable experience because his style of film-making was never to compromise on quality and on the story ideas," Bachchan told BBC News.

Bachchan, who played many memorable roles under Mukherjee, dismissed largely held view that the late maestro's movies had lost touch with modern day audiences.

"I think it's wrong to say his kind of cinema doesn't work any longer. I'm sure if Hrishida were to make those kinds of films again, it would certainly have an audience. "He never pandered to any baser instincts, and he set his own path, which was neither too artistic nor too commercial".

The megastar was lavish in his praise for the late director's superlative art of characterisation.

"They were all exceptionally well-etched and, of course, the greatest opportunity to perform for me has been for his films. His knowledge of the craft was so immense that we just left ourselves in his hands."

"One of the most interesting characters I played was in 'Anand'. I worked with him much before the 1973 film 'Zanjeer' came, where my so-called image of Indian cinema's 'angry young man' was seemingly established," the superstar of the millennium said.

"I will have to admit that most of the interesting characters I played have been in films that were made by him - be it 'Anand' or 'Mili' or 'Chupke Chupke', or 'Bemisal' or 'Namak Haram', or 'Jurmana'.

For an actor of Bachchan's stature, who worked with many directors throughout his career, Mukherjee always deserved a special place.

"I have never worked for an image. I continued working with Hrishida, as we all fondly called him, much after working with other directors like Salim/Javed, Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai, in variously different roles," added Bachchan.

Narrating how Mukherjee was in the sets, the actor said: "We never heard any scripts, never heard any stories - we just came on the sets. He told us to stand there, walk here, say it in this manner, speak like this - that's how he used to direct all of us. So our input was nothing at all. All that you see in his films is entirely his input."

Whenever there was any difficulty in executing a complex character, the late director was always available to ensure the scenes went on without suffering any jolts.

"If it was a complex character like in 'Mili', we would sit together and he would give a one-line description and then guide us as the scenes came," said Bachchan.

"You actually saw your character unfold before you. It felt good - I felt that I had left myself in the hands of a master. One really didn't have to worry because one knew that Hrishida was going to mould you," he added.

But the late director's characters never came from out of the blue. They were invariably close to reality.

His characters were close to reality, and certainly the scenes that were written and the situations that we were put in, were so genuine and real and realistic that they gave great opportunities to actors," the actor.

"His films were full of delightful subtleties and became great cinema. It is difficult to pick one character and say that's the best - there was 'Anand' and 'Abhimaan', 'Mili' too - all of them unbelievable moments in film-making.

Amitabh churned out the choicest laurels for Mukherjee's impeccable editing.

"He was a master editor and knew his craft incredibly well - he would shoot a scene and you would know nothing about it till you saw it," said the superstar.

"And yet when you saw it finished, it was amazing how well he had actually conceived the thing. He could do the last shot first and could put something in the middle days later and it was just marvellous to see a person so gifted.

[Aslam Bhai]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZS3c2yadHw

[Anchu]

QUOTE (AsLaM BHai.. @ Aug 29 2006, 16:06) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZS3c2yadHw

[/b]

whauhwuwhauhw .... Amitabh, SRK, Salman, Dev Anand, Dharmendra en Sanjeev Kapoor!(thakur van sholay)

[Anchu]

http://www.dnaindia .com/report. asp?NewsID= 1049891

Bachchan can't meet Bachchan!

After Hours Correspondent
Tuesday, August 29, 2006 23:00 IST

Producer Vinod Bachchan has been trying to meet his namesake
superstar Big B for the last two years, but with little success.

Being a Bachchan, which is amongst our country's most famous
surnames, doesn't always help. Ask producer Vinod Bachchan of Meghna
Naidu starrer 'Rain' fame.

The producer has been trying to strike a meeting with his idol
Amitabh Bachchan for the last two years. Ironically, that appears
surprising at first, for Bachchan responds to appointment- seekers
with precision. "I have been trying through my friends and
acquaintances for an appointment, but a meeting hasn't happened
yet," says Vinod.

Besides being a fan of Bachchan — so much so that his production
company is called Small B Films — he wants to meet the megastar for
a film. Titled 'Samarpan', the film will take up a social cause with
some backing from UINCEF. "The role that I have in mind for Bachchan
saab is a brief one, but his presence will help us reach out to the
maximum number of people," he explains. The script talks about the
issues of beggars and street urchins.

[Anchu]

‘Eklavya’ New Promo with ‘L.R.M.’
By Taran Adarsh, August 31, 2006 - 04:35 IST

Watch out for the new promo of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s EKLAVYA before LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI begins. The first promo of EKLAVYA was unveiled with PARINEETA and now, a brand new promo with super glimpses from this magnum opus, is unveiled with LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI.

Meanwhile, a star-studded premiere of LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI is being held tonight at Fame Adlabs. It's going to be a gala event.

Don’t miss it!

[Anchu]

[Anchu]

"An undercurrent of sexuality in Nishabd" – RGV
By Subhash K. Jha, August 30, 2006 - 01:17 IST

Why this sudden decision to make Nishabd with Mr Bachchan?
It wasn't a sudden decision. I had been talking to Mr Bachchan about several projects. In fact I had sounded him out about Nishabd a year back when the idea came to me. Now when we're both ready to work together again we were wondering which script to start. Unfortunately all my plans with Mr Bachchan went haywrire because of his illness. Now I have his dates for Sholay . But that's been delayed for various reasons. We used those dates for Nishabd.

Why has Sholay been delayed?
Because it's a straight-on action film. I wouldn't want Mr Bachchan to do anything strenuous right now.

I would never expect a film titled Nishabd from you.
See, it isn’t a question of suddenly trying to prove I can do an intense love story. It was an idea I was sleeping with for a long time. When people seem to think I'm doing an adaptation of Lolita which is about a middleaged man's obsession with a 14-year old girl. What fascinates me is, how would it seem to place a a man of Mr Bachchan's character, demeanour, grace and image in such a position? The relationship with a young girl will look even more effective. I feel emotions have nothing to do with age. What stops a man in that position of supreme success and respect from indulging in his feelings? Is it a sense of responsibility towards society and family? I wanted to look beyond those responsibilities. I want to film a love story between a man of Mr Bachchan's age and a very young girl, in an intense stylized way in a completely new narrative language. I want to create a language of love-_expression that's never been tried before.

You've shied away from sex, even love in most of your films…
Ummmmm…Yeah it's possible. But that could also have something to do with the genre of films I generally do. Nishabd allowed me to go into areas I haven't visited before. But I wouldn't like to give it a pompous terminology like 'soul-searching'. I'm not equipped for that sort of an exercise. I just like to capture feelings. For all my cynical talk I feel I portray feelings and emotions in a way that's entirely mine. In Nishabd I'm basically interested in capturing a conflict within a man between his feelings and his responsibilities. The girl is only a device to trigger off that conflict.

You've chosen a new girl?
Her name is Jiya Khan. And please don't ask a stupid question like, where did I find her. I didn't go on a girl hunt or something. I keep collecting pictures of actors and actresses who come to meet me. And then a particular face comes back to me when I'm scripting a character. Jiya is right for this part. To my knowledge she has no experience in modeling or acting. I had met her a couple of years back. In fact I was planning to cast her in a later production. Then Nishabd came along.

Is there a strong undercurrent of sexuality in Nishabd?
No love story can be complete without an undercurrent of sexuality. Because of the nature of the subject and its requirements I'm excited about capturing Mr Bachchan's expressions as never seen before. Amit Roy who shot Sarkar is the cinematographer. There are no songs this time. We completed Nishabd in one schedule.

You've just finished directing Shiva and then Nishabd.
That's not really unusual. I never sit idle. The minute I finish a project I immediately start something else. The moment Sarkar finished I started Shiva. And now after Nishabd I'll immediately start the film with Shah Rukh in August .

You and Mr Bachchan are doing a series of films together.
I think we're addicted to each other. And we're both in the mood to create poetry in Nishabd.

Are getting mellower?
Nooo. This is my once-in-while moment of seriousness. I'll quickly go back to making Bhoot andKaun before people start taking me seriously and start giving me awards.

[Anchu]

http://www.indiatarget.com/cgi- bin/slide_ shows.cgi? 584:1

Starcast of Ram Gopal Varma's `Sholay'!
by Debasis Jana

Ram Gopal Varma announced it in July last year; but the final
starcast of `Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay' hasn't fixed yet, though
shooting is likely to begin next month.

As it's a remake of Amitabh-Dharmendra starrer blockbuster `Sholay',
people are wasting no time to speculate about who can play what.

As per a Factory spokesperson, the announcement will be made before
shooting starts next month; still then people have to wait to know
the final starcast.

Don't you want to know it now, if you then stay with us; we are
going to flash the almost final starcast of the film, before the
official announcement pours in.

It's being rumoured that Amitabh Bachchan will play Thakur's role,
originally played by Sanjeev Kumar.

However as per latest, the role has gone to Southern superstar
Mohanlal

Amitabh Bachchan had played Jai in original `Sholay'.

Initially Abhishek Bachchan was approached for the role.

However Abhishek turned down it and Mohit Ahlawat stepped into his
shoes.

Dharmendra was the happy-go-lucky Veeru in the original.

Ajay Devgan has been roped in for the role.

There is buzz, Ajay is not happy with he script and delaying the
project.

However he hasn't opted out of the film yet.

Yes, Amitabh Bachchan is slated to plan the very baddies Gabbar
Singh he threw over in the original.

That will be Amitabh's first ever negative role in true sense.

Katrina Kaif will portray Radha, the introvert widow, originally
played by Jaya Bachchan.

Katrina's cast in Radha's role has raised many eyebrows, but Ram
Gopal is more than confirmed about Katrina's acting prowess.
And Basanti, immortalized by Hema Malini in the original. But who
will play it even Ram Gopal Varma doesn't know yet.

As per a source, Ramu is toying with the names of sultry Mallika
Sherawat, vivacious Rani Mukherji, newcomer Jiah Khan and Nisha
Kothari, but dates are not being matched.

There is rumour Varma wants to drop the character from the film.
What about `Sholay' without Basanti?

"It's Ramuji's interpretation. Personally speaking Basanti was a
remarkable character with such a great act by Hemaji," says
filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar.

The answer lies with Varma, who refuses to speak as of now.

[Aslam Bhai]

anchu, ik heb een klein verhaaltje te vertellen;

dus ik werk bij een AH, ik was klaar rond 22.10 uur,
ik liep richting huis (niet alleen, mera bhai ke saath)
we liepen, en liepen.
ineenss.....
ineens zagen we twee fietsers voor ons (op elk fiets twee marokkanen).
die fietsen langs ons, en ineens zei één van die marokkanen:
''amitabh bachchan'' (met zo'n indian accentje, je-weet-wel)
khaat marokkanen, maar dat vond ik leuk..

[Anchu]

QUOTE (AsLaM BHai.. @ Sep 1 2006, 23:13) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

anchu, ik heb een klein verhaaltje te vertellen;

dus ik werk bij een AH, ik was klaar rond 22.10 uur,
ik liep richting huis (niet alleen, mera bhai ke saath)
we liepen, en liepen.
ineenss.....
ineens zagen we twee fietsers voor ons (op elk fiets twee marokkanen).
die fietsen langs ons, en ineens zei één van die marokkanen:
''amitabh bachchan'' (met zo'n indian accentje, je-weet-wel)
khaat marokkanen, maar dat vond ik leuk.. [/b]

hij zal dat zeker hebben gezegd tegen je bhai!