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“You are not going to be eternally young or popular, There will come a time when someone will be looked upon as better than you,” Big B shares his insecurities, his views on politics and much more in this most candid interview with NDTV
Actor Amitabh Bachchan spoke to NDTV’s Barkha Dutt about having former co-star Rekha in his film Shamitabh, why he considers his brush with politics a failure, and the dynamics behind his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Here are the highlights of the interview:
You are not going to be eternally young, you are not going to eternally popular. Have to step aside for new people.
No, I am not tired. Love the idea of going through new scripts, enacting new roles. Keeps me alive.
I think that all actors have a very limited life.
No connection between my drunk scenes in movies and father’s Madhushala. He would say “life itself is an intoxication” so I don’t need to consume something to feel intoxicated.
Won’t be eternally young, popular, I will have to step aside
Love new scripts, new roles, it keeps me alive
There are many talents I don’t have.
Rekha is a part of a film I am doing. She is just doing a small cameo. Not sharing same screen.
There will come a time when someone will be looked upon as better than you.
I feel insecure when I don’t have work. A whole lot of work goes into finding good scripts.
Heads don’t always turn when I walk into a restaurant.
Heads not turning worries you when you are not prepared, i was prepared for it.
Thankfully there wasn’t freedom of private news channel during Bofors time. I would have been crucified had it been so, because there was an individual involved who had a celebrity status.
Had there been a medium with me which would have helped clarify at that time, I would have appreciated it.
I don’t talk about certain things because I feel it will be just another story for you.
Have great regard for media but I feel these are things I need to keep to myself. Grateful that media respected that.
I don’t understand politics. It was a failure for me.
On relationship with and meeting Modi: Personally for me, I am apolitical. For me, it was somebody who wanted to meet me, just another association.
Meeting someone is not a statement of political preference.
We don’t need to imitate the West but that does not mean we dont care about the country and the world.
We are in a sense ambassadors of society and morals and we are aware and what we do will be picked up by the masses.
The West and American film industry is politically stronger than Indian film industry. They have strong representation in the Congress.
Freedom of expression is very vital. Freedom of expression is just not what you say, it is also how you react. It has to be balanced.
Really don’t have an opinion on whether we should have a rating agency, that is something government must decide. I am just concerned about my work.
Ques: How would Amitabh Bachchan describe himself in one line?
Ans: Just another name.
