DAY 249

Posted on: December 28, 2008 - 1:12 pm

Comments: 162

Prateeksha, Mumbai                December 28, 2008              1:07 pm

 

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A most innovative rendering of the economic crisis, looming large over the world brands. Brands known for their name stature and stability. Shaken up and stewed !!

Here then is proof that creativity never slips into recession mode. Indeed it improves !!

Love,

Posted in: Others

DAY 248

Posted on: December 27, 2008 - 8:55 am

Comments: 166

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The daughter of an Indian Maharaja seated on a panther she shot, sometime during 1920’s

 

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A British man gets a pedicure from an Indian servant.

 

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The Grand Trunk Road, built by Sher Shah Suri, was the main trade route from Calcutta to Kabul.

 

 

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A group of dancing nautch girls began performing with their elaborate costumes and jewelry.

 

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A rare view of the President’s Palace and the Parliament building in New Delhi.

 

 

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Women gather at a party in Bombay in 1910.

 

 

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A group from Vaishnava, a sect formed by a Hindu mystic. His followers are called Gosvami-Maharajahs

 

 

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An aerial view of the Jama Masjid mosque in Delhi, built between 1650 and 1658.

 

 

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The Imperial Airways ‘Hanno’ Hadley Page passenger plane carries the England to India air mail, stopping in Sharjah to refuel.

 

Prateeksha, Mumbai                  December 27/28, 2008               12:35 am

 

The schedule wrapped in Pune and I drove back home to Mumbai. In two and a half hours !! This is incredible timing and really smooth movement. It was never like this before. The expressway has done it !!

But before leaving the AD’s had their wish; a poetry recitation from my Father’s works. I recited several of his poems, sitting in one of the classrooms of FLAME. Felt a bit professorish and much like the character in the film, but that was about it. The poems, their words, topics, philosophy were just too powerful and profound for anyone to be thinking of any else. I liked what I did and I think those that were present liked it too. It was wonderful to see cast and crew, actors, production boys, light men, sound guys all in one room, sitting together and relishing the rendition. I must do more of this. I felt liberated and proud. I felt much like my Father.

 

The email contained some old photographs from India in the early years of the previous century and I thought I would share them with you. Such a joy to go back in history. To connect now with what we see from then. Everything around the structures has changed. The structures have remained the same. Imperishable.

The drive has been long and arduous and even though there is no immediate work due indeed to the holiday season, I must set my normal routine as before.

The media still pesters for those glorious bites for the coming year, for the resolutions, for how New Year shall be spent and I resolutely deny any such procurement.

There is concern on the operating of the Blog, on the comments and approvals and layout. And I have diligently been sending messages and have had a few discussions on the matter. They assure me they go through proficiency tests regularly and shall for this moment too. It could take a couple of days. So I do not bare my fangs … yet  !!

But I believe we must bear with BigAdda and soon there shall be all the desired corrections They work with handicapped staff and conditions, they tell me. So we wait and hope that soon we shall be functional again.

I am delighted to have spent time with my Father’s words and shared his glory and accomplishment with others. For me that is my ultimate gift, my seasons greetings, my festive joy and happiness. I cannot and could not have asked for more.

The war of words, however of a different nature, seem to have caught the fancy of our selves and our neighbors. There is great posturing and loyalty remarks and remarks of patriotism and defiance. And if we were to sway by the presentations on the electronic media, we really should have been in the thick of a war by now. Planes taking off, tanks moving into position, missiles being ignited, all dangerously being displayed on the medium with scant regard to any code or conduct.

Could it be that those that portray this adventurous spirit on the ether air, could come to conditions they themselves write and talk about. Would make for an excellent TRP and perhaps great material for film. Anchors at each others throats, choicest languages thrown at each other, blame, accusation, gossip, controversy, sensation. One of us then conducting panel discussions, being the moderator, throwing the cat among the pigeons and sitting back and enjoying the unfolding of the Barkha Dutt’s and Sagarika’s of the TV world  battle their arguments, on perhaps personal issues. Rajdeep on the other end of the line !!

 

And while you ponder at the immense potentials of such gaming, I shall take leave -

Till the ‘morrow

 

Amitabh Bachchan

Posted in: Others

DAY 247

Posted on: December 27, 2008 - 12:33 am

Comments: 299

Pune, Maharashtra                 December 26, 2008           11:18 pm

 

Up at 4 am, home chores by 6 am, driving to Pune from Mumbai at 6:30 am, on location at 8:45 am, after a 10 minute break after the Ghats for the drivers and security to have a cup of tea !! Cool !!

Day over after 3-4 scenes and back in the Hotel and getting connected again.

Some of the young AD’s on set wish for me to recite my Father’s poems for them. I am surprised. They must be in their 20’s. Such reverence to poetry and in Hindi. Astonishing. I was of the opinion today’s generation keep so far away from all this, it would be embarrassing to even mention such activity. But I shall oblige. After the work is over, I shall sit with them and introduce them to some of his works. Some they are already aware of and have heard my recitation on the net. But I shall spend a bit of time as soon as this post is over to select a few.

The schedule has come to an end, almost. My director at the end of the day mumbled shyly, ‘we shall miss you sir’. I embarrass at attention . It is an awkward and self conscious moment for me. I would rather be surrounded by the creativity of the occasion, attend to it as professionally as possible and leave. Without the frills. We come together for a project, a job. That is what needs attention. The niceties and the socializing is for another moment.

Do I become too staid and without expression. I am the oldest on set, by miles. Is or could that be the reason. Is my 40 years in the Industry a barrier to the colleagues and workers. It should not. I try to keep up to their pace. To their line of thinking and language. Be one of them. Be one with them. Should I not ? I wonder at times if my attitude and behavior is correct. Should I get on a back slapping term with them. Most of them are young ladies, it may not be prudent. Should I remain aloof and silent and convey unwanted arrogance. I think not. It shall take me a lot of persuasion and several generations to develop said skill. Media disagrees vehemently. Has formed a permanent and now unshakable belief that we are en famile a disgustingly self centered and arrogant lot !!

Many who govern the status of stars and celebrity, reiterate such, through research and analysis. They suggest the rapid formation of a team of professional and dedicated individuals, that in today’s time and climate is the routine and norm for all concerned, of PR aficionados. People who devote their entire time in managing through the media in all aspects, the impressions created publicly of public people. It is a craft they say practiced by all. From Obama to O’ hell, Akshay and Shahrukh and Aamir and all the gentle filmdom ladies. People that protect the interests of their clients. See that positive news emanates all the time. Success to be glorified in its extreme, failures to be preferably buried, or buried with a decent flower laden funeral. There is an economics that controls all this, they say. Good reviews on films, cover pages on prominent magazines, n’er a negative comment, or the highlighting of errors, positioning at Awards, ousting competition on projects, made and to be made, getting greater attention on multiple set ups, deliberately eyeing the other into oblivion…

Its an entire corporate functioning, a curriculum, I am told, now being considered to be introduced in the IIM’s of the country. This is awesome and fascinating !! We never had all this in our time !! Our philosophy was, excel to such a degree that it becomes inevitable. Not so I am told. You may excel, but if no ones hears of it, no one will.

Ha.. many have concluded that my blog is a brilliant exercise in this intent. That it bursts out through a well thought out and planned management exercise. And of course many have already formed their set opinion that there is commerce and economics in this, something that despite legal reprimands, persists. More ha.. ha.. haaa !!

What did I say some time back ! When majority blesses mediocrity, mediocrity acquires the status and the standard of the majority. Mediocrity prevails because those that may desire to improve on it, could well fall in the bracket of the dreaded elite. Elites are few and far and because of their superiority in taste and demeanor and their penchant for better standard, one that has difficulty being matched by minority, they are a lot that invite a despised disposition.

I drift. Or maybe it is sleep deprivation. Some deprivation actually accelerates competent thought. Hope mine is competent enough. I misspell. My head rolls over in a drool and then snaps back to life, as though to say I am indeed awake and normal. This is a lie !! A worthless lie !! I am very very tired and sleepy…

Good night !!

 

My love,

 

 

Amitabh Bachchan

Posted in: Others

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