| The film industry wallahs who have benefited | | | | he’s the sort of person who’d get |
| immensely by Amitabh Bachchan’s cinematic | | | | restless if he’s sitting at home. He has a good |
| presence wish the icon a speedy recovery, each | | | | schedule - he takes rest on time, he eats very |
| hailing the “incredible energy” and the | | | | healthy food and exercises regularly. He |
| “sweet, simple” ways in which he has | | | | doesn’t overexert or overwork.” But he |
| touched their lives and enriched it. | | | | does regret that Bachchan had to join them for a |
| Vinod Khanna, Bachchan’s one-time rival also | | | | press conference the very next day he returned |
| feels concerned but stresses,”He is not old at | | | | from The Unforgettable Tour. “I wished at |
| all going by today’s standards. He just needs | | | | times that we could give him more time to |
| to look after himself better.” Khanna recounts | | | | relax,” but he adds quickly that Bachchan will |
| the “splendid films” that they featured in | | | | be back out and about soon. “Let him come |
| together - Hera Pheri, Amar Akbar Anthony, | | | | out with a smile on his face,” he pleads. Mr. |
| Parvarish, Khoon Pasina and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar | | | | Arindam Chaudhuri says that Bachchan is |
| and remarks,”We complemented each other | | | | “such a loving family man” and he’s all |
| and shared a great association in the wonderful | | | | the time thinking about everything – “How |
| ‘70s,” he sighs. Calling him a “thorough | | | | is Abhishek, where is he, calling him, showing us |
| pro”, he hopes that they will be paired yet | | | | his pictures on his mobile. He’s full of life,” |
| again soon,”Hope there is such a script | | | | he elaborates. |
| somewhere!” he wishes. | | | | Sanjay Dutt’s trusted aide Dharam Oberoi |
| Pritish Nandy says, “It does come as a shock | | | | relates how concerned Dutt has been, calling him |
| to me but then he has very successfully fought | | | | up every 2-3 hours from London to get an |
| back such health issues in the past and I am sure | | | | update on Bachchan’s health. “He’s |
| he will do it again. AB has been a friend for many | | | | calling up Abhishek also. He wanted to fly back to |
| years now, from the days I headed The Times | | | | be with the Bachchans. He’s very close to |
| group and edited . | | | | the family and he treats Abhishek like his younger |
| The Illustrated Weekly of India and Filmfare,” | | | | brother,” he adds. |
| Theirs is not a friendship where they spend time | | | | Rauf Ahmed, erstwhile Screen editor who has |
| together, but whenever Nandy needed him, he | | | | followed Bachchan’s career right from the |
| has always been on the other side of the | | | | outset remarks. “It’s very shocking that |
| telephone for him. “He made Kaante come | | | | he’s in the hospital, he seemed to be going |
| alive for me and then refused his fees when we | | | | great guns, only the other day as we saw him |
| went over-budget. He inaugurated my exhibition | | | | doing the most incredible things on The |
| of paintings in Kolkata in the early 90s and | | | | Unforgettable Tour!. But knowing his resilience and |
| brought the city to a grinding halt when he did a | | | | ability to fight back, I am sure he’d once |
| small street-play on the occasion with Anupam | | | | again bat it out and bounce back.” Ahmed |
| Kher right in the heart of Shakespeare Sarani. I | | | | says that it’s always been like this for |
| treasure his every gift and letter. He is a good | | | | Bachchan ever since he’s been tracking his |
| man, a great actor, and a true friend,” goes | | | | career,” He never gives in, there is no parallel |
| on Nandy for whom Bachchan has promised to | | | | to him,” he says full of admiration. |
| act in The Actor and the character he is playing is | | | | National awardee, Sarika and his Shoebite co-star |
| the biggest movie star ever, “Did I really | | | | also pleaded that the Bachchan family be spared |
| have a choice? If he did not agree to do the | | | | of the media glare because “this is a private |
| movie, I would have had to shelve it,” he | | | | moment, let them sort it out”. But she too is |
| adds firmly. | | | | full of praise for her charismatic co-star, |
| Bachchan’s last screen outing The Last Lear, | | | | “He’s a very energetic man, while |
| was produced by Arindam Chaudhuri of Planman | | | | shooting with him recently on Shoebite he went |
| who admits that Bachchan gave their entire team | | | | to four different cities when we were working on |
| the best possible time through “his very | | | | one schedule! There is a strong man there, |
| considerate and loving ways”. He also adds | | | | let’s leave him alone. Let the doctors decide |
| that contrary to the popular belief “Bachchan | | | | what is to be done, it’s not for us to |
| sir works in a pretty relaxed manner, yet | | | | say,” she urged. |