Blood. Legacy & Family

Blood. It is about being in the blood.

Ok here is something that is miles, if not continents away from the usual stuff that I stand for. Those of you, who know me, know me as being tolerant and open minded about everything in life. That is why I am NOT fanatical about anything, not about religion, races, colours etc. However, people very close to me know that I am not just fanatical, but extremely weird about one thing, rather one person and that I will stand absolute NO negative comments about him. The man is Amitabh Bachchan, or as I simply refer to him as 'Dada'. He is not just the greatest superstar in India, he is NOT just the coolest man walking, he is NOT just the living definition of success, to me and in my own little and wishful (but yet very genuine) world - he is FAMILY. Family because even today, when I am in my 30s, I cannot watch him die on screen. From Deewar to Sholay to Agnepath, I have to close my eyes, or put the DVD on stop and If I do watch the end, then I have to immediately watch at least an hour of SIMPSONS just to forget that Bachchan had died in the film. Fanatic? Weirdness? Who cares? I don’t.

Anyway, last evening I went to watch a film called SARKAR. Now let me tell you that this article is NOT a review of the film. I am sure that you will find hundreds of those everywhere. If you want to know about the film, well then, in one line, I will say that it is brilliant. It is already up there in my top 5-bollywood films ever made. There you go, that my review of the flick. After the film was over, I could not talk to anyone for about an hour. I was dumb struck, I tried to distract myself, to come out of the shock but I just could not. What had amazed me about the flick was not just my 'dada', or realizing that this was one of Ram Gopal Varma's best, or that even Abhishek Bachchan walked over everyone in terms of performance. There was something more to all of this, and this is what this article is about.

I remember watching a film called REFUGEE, many years back. Abhishek was being launched. I noticed at that time, the very powerful family that he belonged to, didn’t go in for a typical film wherein they could show the audience that they could dance, sing, fight, ride a horse and romance on the hills for Switzerland/Australia all in one film. At that time itself, I sensed a complete sense of confidence in that family. It was a clear signal that they did not need to stoop to a level wherein they would have to depend on great locales, music, and every other thing that unfortunately goes into making a 'hit' movie in bollywood. Instead, here was their child, in a non-contemporary flick, and this is how he could perform - as an actor. What followed over the years was this actor doing his bit in films that did not have anything substantial in them. We, the Indian moviegoers just cannot seem to rise above at awe we have for larger than life, phony characters that we see portrayed again and again on celluloid and that too by the same actor doing the same damn thing over and over again. Moreover, every time we get a 'good' flick, with foreign locales, mechanical music, and often-cheap dialogues we praise the actor to the skies and the nation goes berserk. Note when I referred to the 'good' flick, I did not mention anything about good acting, but the actor gets all the credit, does another few films doing the same thing and then he fades away until another one makes it to the top. No wonder then, none of these clowns have been able to come even close to the success and charisma of the Big B. I must state here that the exception to this has always been Amir Khan, who I do consider to be a very talented and stylish celebrity.

So I always wondered who would ever carry the legacy of Mr. Bachchan forward. Now even though I do feel that ShahRukh Khan has achieved, in terms of fame and fortune, more than any other of his colleagues have, and that too not being from a 'filmy' background, I cannot still see him being the heir to 'Big B' legacy. He just doesn’t have it in his soul. Amir could have made it to that, but he has opted to be an actor rather than anything else. There will NEVER ever be another 'Big B' and that is final. I know people talk about there never being another Dilip Kumar or Dev Anand. I agree, but it is insignificant. With all due respect to these great men, but the 'Big B' is more than anything or anyone that has walked the soil of bollywood. Today, when most of his colleagues are long retired, he is R.O.C.K.I.N.G celluloid, ads and the media overall, giving the younger dependants-on-frolics a run for their money. I will say this again, there will never be another BIG B. So what happens to the future of this legacy? Who is worth being crowned the rightful heir to this throne? NOBODY can be his equal, but then again someone needs to carry forward the legacy that this great man has created. Someone needs to be the guardian of it all. Who? Who? Oh Lord, Who?

Now, to know the answer of this, go and watch SARKAR. The heir the throne has risen, and in SARKAR you will see the amazing Ram Gopal Varma, show you the legacy, the shy prince who then rises above all, and eventually is crowned the new king. Abhishek for most of the film makes you forget that thee Big B is part of the same frame too. He makes you forget that thee Ram Goal Varma is the master behind those frames. He makes you even forget most of the time, that he is the son of thee Big B. He stands there like A force to be reckoned with. His eyes, the sober expressions and that style, will make your jaw drop. You come out of the cinema dumb struck and your mind doesn’t seem to know a single word to say anymore. After much time has gone by, you realize what you just saw. You saw the blood of Mr. and Mrs. Bachchan become one and they called it Abhishek. In him, you see the anger of his father's character and tenderness of his mother's character. I mean character as in their common roles on celluloid. He has the talent from both his parents. Where can he even run from it? It is there, and it is seen here now. Abhishek has not depended on everything else around him, but his acting capabilities. He is the heir to what I keep referring to as the 'Bachchan' legacy. He is it's rightful king of the future. He is the blood of the Bachchans, and for decades to come, he will remind generations, as to whose son he is. As he rightfully said it himself 'I am my father’s son, and I will always be in his shadows'. The true making of a young king.

For my younger readers, who do not understand the depth ness of this blood, legacy & family, the let me tell you it's like Simba taking over and continuing his father - Mufasa's legacy. This is what this is about. Dada and Jaya-ji you must be proud again today, for your little lion has finally roared, and the jungle called cinema has awakened taking notice of him. Only a good son can be aware of the blood in him and do the right thing, and Abhishek has done that. It's about family honour, it's about the blood that flows thru, and that is passed on from generation to generation, along with discipline, style, charisma etc.

For the die hard Amitabh fan that I am, watching SARKAR has calmed the storm of worry that killed me within, regarding the throne, the legacy and yes...my Dada. I know that his article is NOT about peace, love and tolerance – topics that I usually write about. In a way, its about tradition, loyalty and above all......family.