Amitabh Bachchan Impressed With Abhishek Bachchan’s Acting In Paa  Amitabh Bachchan In Paa |
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, while talking about Paa, where he would be seen essaying the role of Abhishek Bachchan’ son, the 12-year-old Auro, who suffers progeria says that “The idea was entirely Balki’s”.
“Balki came to me with it and I was excited. I saw it as a challenge. I’d worked with Balki in Cheeni Kum and had faith in him. Enormous research was done on both progeria and the look I’d have for the film. Several specialists were consulted before we arrived at the look”, says Big B.
When asked if the experience of working as Abhishek’s son was strange, the veteran actor says, “Not at all. We’re actors; this is what we do. Once we get on the sets, we forget who we are and our relationship with each other. Abhi too was very professional about this and it was great working with him.”
When asked about Abhishek Bachchan’s acting, he says “I was very impressed. He’s grown as an actor and Balki will agree with me when I say he turned out a mature performance. To me, he was majestic as the father of Auro.”
Asked about essaying the 12-year-old Auro, he says, “It’s the amazing work of the make-up artistes. We’ve got the best from Hollywood working on the make-up, but the process is tedious. It takes four-and-a-half hours to put it on and two hours to take it off.”
But the trick stops there, he says, adding, “Technically, no computer graphics were used. It’s all camera work that you see. If you see me as a dwarf in the film, it is courtesy interesting angles and some great work by P C Sreeram.”
When asked if this is the best of his performances, Big B says “I don’t like to rate my performances. I see every role as a challenge. I like to keep experimenting and keep pushing myself. I’m not doing this for any awards but for the challenge and the opportunity it gives me to try out something new.”
On films from the south, he says, “They’re brilliant! The technical quality is superb. But more than that, it’s the professionalism and the discipline with which south Indians work. I have had the opportunity to work here several times and have been a part of that discipline.”
On Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan, he says, “I share a very special and friendly relationship with both. When Rajini finished Sivaji, we met up in Mumbai and he’d brought a copy of the movie for me to see. I have done three films with him and have again been amazed by his discipline and dedication. He has no frills attached and comes well prepared for his shoots and finishes them with ease. Kamal Haasan too is a good friend. I was supposed to be here for his 50 years in cinema felicitation, but couldn’t make it’. Big B was talking from Chennai.
When asked about his role of media magnate in RGV’s Rann, the actor says “I run a television company in the film and it deals with the challenges of the conscience when it comes to the business of TV journalism. It’s about the dilemma of compromising honesty for the sake of business and compromising business growth for the sake of truth.”
When asked about Brand Amitabh, he dismisses it and says, “This is something given to me by others. I have never ever seen myself as a brand. I’m a human being; an actor and this is what we do. I am extremely grateful for the 40 glorious years I have been in the medium and I’m thankful that people still want to work with me. I’m just happy I’m still working”.
