This is my first attempt at blogging. I don’t think i am passionate about it but i simply want to give it a shot as it is certainly the current fad. If i am able to pen my thoughts and opinions in a manner deemed fit in the era of web2.0 , then I would certainly continue else, would switch to something else which goes well with my interest and liking.

Talking about passion, one thing that has inflamed my passion is bollywood cinema. I have been a movie freak since childhood and have developed a fondness for Hindi cinema of every genre. If cricket and films are considered religion in this country then i would certainly fall in the category of die hard fanatic’s…

One actor who got me hooked to Hindi cinema is BigB. I am among those millions of Indians who have grown up watching his movies and would continue to watch for many more years to come. I still remember the day my father whacked me for putting up posters of BigB in my room bcoz I put them up few days after my exam results were announced. Needless to mention why my father was annoyed with pictures of my matinee idol in the room (Good exam scores & movies don’t go hand in hand atleast in my case :-( ...)

BigB simply marveled in all the roles essayed by him. Whether it was humour, action ,comedy or offbeat (remember main azaad hoon) cinema, AB played everything to perfection. Amitabh in Hindi means “the light that would never go off” and even to this day he is shining bright. Lot of his contempories of 70’s & 80’s have faded into oblivion, but at 60+ he is a bigger icon than he ever was and continues to tower over actors of this generation.

His first movie was “Saat Hindustani” which also won him his first national film award for best new comer. Then followed “Anand” which was AB’s initial successes (commercially) and also won him a lot of critical acclaim. AB was pitted against Rajesh Khanna (superstar of that era) who was playing the protagonist and had a role that one could give an arm and leg for. While Rajesh Khanna gave a performance of his lifetime, Amitabh held his own despite playing second fiddle and eventually won a Film fare award for best supporting role that year. Anand ranks among my all time favourites and hat’s off to hrishikesh mukherjee for extracting the best from the reigning superstar and the star in waiting…(This reel life story evidently is inspired by the relationship Hrishida shared with Raj Kapoor in real life..)

The 70’s & 80’s catapulted him to super stardom. Movies like Deewar, Sholay, Trishul, Don, Shakti etc epitomized the angry young man image. I simply fail to understand why he did not win the best actor award for “Deewar” which eventually went to Rishi Kapoor for “Laila Majnu” that year. Awards or no awards, Amitabh continues to be liked by fan’s the world over for being a super actor and also for possessing the ability to reinvent himself in the face of adversity...

His all time best dialogue according to me is “Mere jeb mein paanch phuti kaudi nahin hain aur main paanch lakh ka sauda karne aaya hoon” from the movie Trishul…..no other actor could have shown the intensity displayed by AB in this particular scene…

I guess Uttam, Vishal & me did not share too many common interests. The only thing that was common between us was cricket, Locuz and a great sense of admiration for BigB…Apparently; Vishal with his deep baritone voice, 6 feet height and the angry young man look came closest to resembling BigB between the 3 of us…

I can go on & on but my son is miffed coz he is not getting any attention from me. So time to log off as i plan to go for a long drive with Aaryan…

Take Care!!!!