Will Gir lions keep their date with Amitabh Bachchan?

Will the lion kings allow the Bollywood Shahenshah to pay his respects to them? This is the question that seems to be on top of the mind of all foresters in Junagadh as Gujarat's tourism brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan reaches Gir on Tuesday to shoot for the next phase. Anxiety is abounding in the air on whether any lion pride will be sighted to capture that classic golden shot for the world to see — Big B in the wild with the jungle's majesty.

Much of the department has been on the job preparing for the big day when Bachchan will tour the forest. Officials are walking a tight rope, keeping their fingers crossed that the lions make an appearance. We are going to “try our best” to capture the lions for the shoot, but there are obviously no guarantees. According to sources, two routes have been especially reserved for Big B's convoy.

“There is no watertight plan; there cannot be. The best bet would be the several department-maintained waterholes as prides invariably flock there in the evenings. The focus here is on shooting the lions' pride. It would be a treat if both the lions and Big B are captured in the same frame. But, besides the lion, there are many carnivores and it can be dangerous,” a senior official in Junagadh said, requesting anonymity.

Along with anxiety, there is much excitement about Big B endorsing Gir as a tourist destination. “Gir is popular, but with Bachchan endorsing it, the place will be in a different league altogether. Our lions will be in the limelight,” says an emotional forester.

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