ENTERTAINMENT
You learn so much from this generation, says Amitabh Bachcan.
With TE3N, Amitabh Bachchan revisits a genre he dabbled with in the late 70s and 80s. A whodunnit set in Kolkata, the film is an official remake of Montage, a Korean film. TE3N tells the story of a grandfather trying to put together pieces of an unsolved case — the mysterious disappearance of his granddaughter. Bachchan hasn’t seen the original, his eyes light up when he describes the process of getting under the skin of this character, John Biswas. In a free-wheeling chat, he talks to me about his love of the genre, his plans to produce more films and even his thoughts on the brouhaha over Aishwarya’s purple lips at the Cannes Film Festival. Read on...
How does it feel to return to the whodunnits genre?
I think Indian cinema has always been making films like these. It’s just that, given the stage I was at, earlier in my career, perhaps nobody thought of doing something like this with me. But now, there is an opportunity because of my age, which enables me to play an older, weaker character. You don’t expect him to be able to do something and that’s basically what the outline of the character is. John Biswas is a middle-class man, he is Anglo-Bengali and there has been a tragedy in the family. He only has his wife and son. His family doesn’t live with him, but he’s keen to find out what happened and how. He’s not one of those vigilantes or smart Alecs. He is a very normal person and certainly doesn’t look like somebody who is going to bash a few people up. He is keen to get into the details of what happened and how it happened. I don’t think that he has revenge on his mind. I think he just wants somebody to confess that something like this has been done and that he is repentant about it.
Do you find this genre satisfying?
Yes, why not? Any genre is challenging and I think that all of us need to be challenged at some point in time.
In today’s social media age, a lot of film plots and storylines leak before the release, does that frustrate or annoy you?
You cannot help it. On Friday, everybody is going to know about it in any case. I think somewhere in our minds when we go to see a film, we know what is going to happen. You know this leading man is never going to get killed or is not going to lose, it’s just the excitement of the moment as to how he is going to be able to do it, that keeps you hooked and seated. I think somewhere we all know this can’t happen to him, he is going to come out soon, somewhere we all know that. I guess that would be the reaction if the ending of thriller films are leaked.
Have you seen the original film that TE3N is based on?
I know it is a remake of a Korean film. Sujoy bought the rights and we met the original producers also. But I haven’t seen the film. I just felt it wasn’t necessary for me to do that. Somewhere in the back of your brain, you have those images and that would be terrible for an actor.
How was it working with Vidya Balan again after Paa?
Wonderful. She is an exceptional actress. Vidya has done so well right from her first film Parineeta to now, I have been watching all her work. I worked with her in Paa and now this... so yes, a great experience.
You write these appreciation letters for actors whose work you admire, talk to me a bit about it.
I have always been doing this. Jaya and I have been doing this for long. If we like something, we send flowers or something. I just feel very strongly when I see something like this and I do write to them. It’s wonderful. It’s just great to see this generation, to see anybody, giving a good performance. It’s so inspiring and you learn so much from them.
Young actors like Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone speak about being inspired by you. What is it about them that inspires you?
I just draw from their confidence, their absolute determination to have sorted out a vision in their career or life. About knowing that it’s where they have to go. How they are so sure that this is how they are going to achieve it. That amazes me, because even now, after 47 years in this industry, I have not been able to do that. I can’t plan, I can’t decide, I don’t know where I have to go. I don’t even know whether I am going to get work tomorrow or not, but they are very brave, they are very confident, they are very aggressive about what they want to achieve and what they want to do and they are very cool about it because they know they are going to get it. That is something I want to learn. I don’t have that quality. They have it and that’s why I admire them so much.
Do you and Abhishek plan on producing more films?
Yes, Abhishek and I keep talking about it, we have certain thought processes going on. We keep looking for ideas and thoughts. We are unable to do it individually and independently — we tried it with ABCL and we failed. We obviously realised that this is not something we are capable of doing by ourselves. So we hold hands with people. So whether it’s Pink or whether it’s Paa or any film, we just work on the fact that we co-produce and share the equity.
What did you make of the fact that Aishwarya’s purple lips look from Cannes was trending on social media for days?
No, I didn’t see it, but what is wrong with that? Social media gives someone the opportunity to express themselves. You’ve never had that opportunity before, you never knew what others were thinking about you, at least now you know. And the good part is, it lasts for a day or half-a-day; the next day, something else comes up. Things move so rapidly in today’s life that you don’t have time. One’s attention span is so limited and so small. Whether it is watching the news on TV, every two minutes you hear a bang in the middle of the most sincere news, purely because they don’t want you to get to your remote and change the channel. That’s how life has become. Social media gives everybody a voice, everybody an opportunity, everybody a democratic opportunity to express themselves. What’s wrong with that?
After S Jaishankar's conference, India slams Canada for action against Australian news channel
Sidhu Moosewala's parents share NEW pic of his baby brother, netizens say 'so cute'
‘It definitely does a lot of good to my ego’: Aishwarya Rai gets candid in film promotion interview
Ignored for Australia Tests, India star slams sensational Ranji Trophy double ton
Interviewer asks Aishwarya Rai ‘how do you look so fab’, she says…
How Biden’s Lame-Duck Period Could Influence Policy Decisions After Choosing Not to Run in 2024
Watch: Viral video shows heated argument between passengers in Delhi metro
'New chapter for me': Virat Kohli's latest social media post shocks internet
Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, donated over Rs 400 crore in one year, Gautam Adani gave Rs...
Delhi: Air pollution in national capital spike during Chhath Puja, AQI reaches 'severe' level
AUS vs PAK Live Streaming: When and where to watch Australia vs Pakistan 2nd ODI live in India?
'I gain weight as body...' Arjun Kapoor reveals being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease
Stark Visas: The Best Immigration Consultant in Delhi Sets Immigration Dreams High in Ahmedabad
KREEVA targets top 1% elite for its ultra-luxury homes in Delhi-NCR’s prime locations
Tata Group acquires another company for over Rs 18 crore days after Noel Tata joins board
WPL 2025 Retentions: Full list of players retained and released by all 5 franchises
ED raids main vendors of Amazon, Flipkart across multiple cities, including Delhi, Mumbai due to...
Anil Ambani suffers major setback, his company banned for 3 years due to...
Meet woman, a cuddler, professional hugger, earns Rs 7400 in 1 hour, she is...
Meet teen who started working from garage, now set to make Rs 25 crore at just 16 from...
Viral video: Slum children recreate Sabyasachi bridal wear, designer reacts; WATCH
Missing Home on Chhath Puja: Yearning and significance behind Bihar’s holy festival
Chhath Puja 2024 Day 4: Usha Arghya date, timings of sunrise, puja rituals, significance and more
Ricky Ponting wants Babar Azam to follow Virat Kohli's footsteps for THIS reason
Elon Musk's net worth surges by Rs 2193295096200 in a day after...
Meet India's richest female YouTuber, left teaching job, has Rs 43 crore net worth, now works as...
This fruit is called non-vegetarian, it is...
Meet man who was India's biggest con artist, he sold Taj Mahal, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Red Fort...
Nita Ambani reveals husband Mukesh Ambani follows a strict diet, here's what he eats
'Tu jhuti woh makkar': Influencer accuses 10-year-old of groping her; narrates ordeal in viral video
Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal name their daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal; it means...
After returning as President, what will happen to cases against Donald Trump? Know here
25-year-old turns temple thief, steals ornaments worth Rs 78 lakh for...
Why Mahindra XUV700 is perfect for road trips and off-road adventures
Mahindra Scorpio N: A legacy of toughness with a modern twist
'Capable of loving more women': Kamal Haasan's bold take on marriage and relationships goes viral
How reaction time and speed tests can give gamers a competitive edge
This is world’s most polluted city with AQI of 1165, it’s just 409 kms away from Delhi
Blow to Gautam Adani as his company's shares fell 7% due to...
Pune Porsche crash: Father of teen driver's friend surrenders before court
Geographic and political nature of drug trafficking sea routes to India
Delhi AQI Update: Air quality turns 'severe', AQI reaches...
Mukesh Ambani's SUPERHIT new plan for Jio users, offers 100 GB of free cloud storage for just Rs...
Delhi-Mumbai expressway to slash travel time to 25 minutes: Key stretch to open on...
'Modi govt is committed to building terror-free India': Union Minister Amit Shah
Chhath Puja 2024: What is the importance of bamboo basket in Chhath Puja?
SC to deliver verdict today on plea against NCLAT order transferring Jet Airways to winning bidder
Is it time for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to step down from playing Test cricket?
Chhath Puja 2024: Are banks open or closed today? Check state-wise list here