Proust questionnaire with Amitabh Bachchan

Stardom is a product of talent and luck that is bestowed upon very few. Amitabh Bachchan has enjoyed the massive love of fans across the world for the last 47 years. How does one define this magnificent talent? What do we say about this global icon that hasn't been said, written or experienced before? The son of the legendary writer Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Amitabh is known for his discipline, his command over Hindi and English and of course, great acting talent. Over the last many years and countless controversies, he has resorted to giving safe and politically correct interviews to media. Movies are such an exciting business, but to hear whitewashed answers all the time is boring. Hence, we decided to explore the inner side of Bachchan by asking him Proust questions. Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.

Right now, Bachchan is ready with his next Te3n that releases in the UAE today. In an email interview with City Times, he said what drew him towards the movie was its story. "Its unique story and the way its screenplay played out .. also that I was working with Sujoy Ghosh and Ribhu Dasgupta, with whom I had worked earlier and found it comfortable."

He co-stars with powerhouse talents like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vidya Balan in this thriller. "Nawaz is a phenomenal talent and I feel so honoured to get an opportunity to work with him. His growth in the Industry has been astonishing. Vidya has always been such an accomplished artist that working with her is a joy always," said Bachchan.

Rishi Kapoor recently told us that he is not getting good roles at 62, asserting that Bollywood is not great at writing scripts for older actors. When we asked Bachchan the same question, we got the familiar boring reply: "Yes, I am fortunate and blessed to be getting the roles that I am."

The Bachchan household has had a busy 2016 so far with Aishwarya's Sarabjit and Abhishek's Housefull 3 releasing close together. What did he think of these films? "Sarabjit was intense and contained some strong performances. H3 is fun filled and entertaining, I have heard. I am yet to see it," said Bachchan.

Do you ever find yourself thinking of the time when the phone will stop ringing and flowers will stop coming?

Amitabh: I think of it every day and hour... it will happen someday and soon... but that is the profession. It shall happen with all of us.

When you go into a new role, do you go with the confidence that you will pull it off or you go with anxiety whether or not you will be able to do it?

Always with a great amount of anxiety and nervousness.

After all these years, what is it like to see yourself on screen?

..that there is so much more to learn.

What makes you happy in life?

That I am still breathing.

Can you tell us how filmmakers and artists create cinema that embodies the fantasy of billions of people across the world?

After 47 years in the industry, I am still finding out, perhaps just like many others, how filmmakers are able to create cinema that embodies the fantasy of billions of people.

Proust questionnaire with Amitabh Bachchan

What is your greatest fear?

Loss of loved ones.

Which talent would you most like to have?

That of a musician.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would change nothing.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

That I am my father's son.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I would not be able to assess that. It would more appropriate for others to decide.

What do you most value in your friends?

Sincerity.

Who are your favourite writers?

My father.

Who is your hero of fiction?

'Biggles' - a character whose books we read when we were studying in school.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

None. Though I have great admiration for many.

Who are your heroes in real life?

My father and my mother.

What is it that you most dislike?

Indiscipline.

What is your greatest regret?

I have none.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

It would be as myself.

Where would you most like to live?

In India.

What is your most treasured possession?

My family.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

I would rather think of happiness than misery.

BACHCHAN TRIVIA

1) He loves playing the piano

2) At 73, he still works out everyday

3) He does not drink tea, coffee or aerated drinks and is a vegetarian.

arti@khaleejtimes.com

• Bollywood