It’s not easy being the cynosure of all eyes. For Amitabh Bachchan, demi-god of Indian cinema, making heads turn and overshadowing everyone around him, including the irrepressible Khushwant Singh (at the launch of his biography) comes naturally.
Big B, who’s had a long day comprising a series of meetings, may not have much time to read these days (shooting 14 hours every day for 10 films takes up most of his waking hours) but he remembers “reading Illustrated Weekly regularly when Khushwantji was the editor. His saucy wit and the ability to call a spade a spade was particularly endearing. And I do read best-sellers.”
Bachchan, 62, doesn’t mind the hectic pace of life: “At an age when most people have been written off professionally, it’s an honour to be busy. I am selective about the kind of work that I want to do, and I have efficient managers to ensure that my time is managed properly. Now I no longer need that eight-hour sleep anymore thanks to my fitness regime that gives me energy. I am also careful about my diet and sleep early when I am not working.”
Ask him about his involvement with Abhishek’s career and the smile is indulgent: “He’s respectful but he’s also his own person. We are just SMS buddies.”