Amitabh Bachchan is enjoying his blogging experience and “the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism” that come along with it. The Bollywood icon has clarified that his remarks about Shah Rukh Khan’s quiz show on his blog were misinterpreted by the media and he has apologised to the actor since then.
“I narrated on my blog what transpired during one my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well,” Amitabh, who is currently in Cannes with his family, explained in a telephone interview with IANS.
He added: “I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion, not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog, apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption.
“I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him.”
On visiting Cannes, he said the family was there to be with daughter-in-law Aishwarya, who is a brand ambassador of L’Oreal, and to spend quality time with one another.
“We went to the opening with her (Aishwarya) and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we’ve all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It’s lovely to just be together and catch up, before we drift away to our respective schedules,” Amitabh said.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q. Are you in Cannes? Are you representing a film?
A. Yes I am in Cannes and with the family. This is a private visit and there are no films I am representing. I believe there was an article criticising us for not visiting the India pavilion. Well, firstly, this is a private visit and moreover, no one has invited us. And secondly, I am a little wary of government invitations. They invite you to be chief guest at a function and when you arrive there, tell you you are not invited.
We are here to be with Aishwarya, who is here in an official capacity as brand ambassador for L’Oreal. We went to the opening with her and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we’ve all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It’s lovely to just be together and catch up before we drift away to our respective schedules.
Q. How satisfying has the experience of blogging been so far?
A. It has been a most wonderful experience and I have wondered why this was not known to me earlier. The speed of communication the world over, the responses to my thoughts, the adulation and endearment expressed by well-wishers, the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism, the demand for more on my father’s works all of it has been educative and awe-inspiring. It has been like talking to each one of them personally.
Q. Is it very time consuming?
A. It is time consuming because I read all the messages myself and I write my blog personally too. I have not permitted the server to allow comments to go through a ‘moderator’ because I want a fair, democratic approach to be practised. To cope with this I sleep a little less perhaps to make time for those who write.
Q. You seem to have become far more frank and forthright, far less diplomatic than you used to be.
A. Maybe. I think it comes from the knowledge that what you write or express has the ability to go to the reader without dilution or moderation. The absence of the middleman helps in the purity of my output. I try to be as honest as I can in my outpouring and yes they may seem to be more frank and forthright and less diplomatic.
As I spoke in my last blog of Day 28(i), words and expressions can get twisted and misinterpreted and can cause unwanted hurt or a misunderstanding. A twisted thought could create an avalanche of negativity I would hate that to happen and whenever it has, I have not hesitated to tender an apology or to correct myself if I have done wrong.
Q. Your comments on Shah Rukh’s TV show have been discussed widely. Do you feel your comments could’ve had an impact that perhaps exceeded your intentions?
A. Exactly. I narrated on my blog what transpired during one of my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them some genuine questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption.
I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him.
Q. What expansion plans do you have as a blogger?
A. The blog will shortly become a part of the website that is under construction. The website will be more encompassing - my father, mother, Jaya, Abhishek, Aishwarya, Shweta or any other family member or non-member for that matter who wishes to contribute to it, will have a presence. Matter containing my father’s works will be prominently displayed. His repertoire is vast and of immense literary value and I wish to give it its pride of place.
Q. It’s being said in a section of the press that the blog is a commercial enterprise and that you’re being paid a hefty amount to keep it interesting.
A. I repeat here again that the blog is not a commercial venture and I have not been paid this ridiculous amount of money to write it. I am merely using the facility of the server provided by bigadda.com to carry my blog.
NDTV
I narrated on my blog what transpired during one of my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them some genuine questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption.
I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him.
BIG.B. YOU ARE THE SHAHENSHAH.
To harold!
Are you joking??he already did the damage.he is as ignorant as aamir and both dont know how to civilise and nobody likes them.King Khan is too educated to go this low as both AB and aamir did.King Khan makes fun of his friends in bollywood but never get jelous.AB compared to shows and it was not funny and aamir called his dog for shahrukh and it was not funny so the only conclusion is they cant accept that a poor,middle class,non contact in the show delhi boy being the best in the bollywood history with dilip saab!Aamir and AB are spoilt brats and racist(aamir hates hindus and AB hates muslims)they are both mentally ill!
Well done Aamir, SRK (overacting khan) deserves it. This is what happens when you don’t respect your fellow actors and it was times someone gave it back the right way. You don’t see respected people like Aamir and AB react until provoked maximum to tolerance they give it back. Why SRK ? not Salman, Hrithik, or Akshay because he has been taking digs constantly at Aamir and AB so he thoroughly deserves and might get more if he doesn’t change his wicked humour and stop taking digs or else you might get from Salman, Hrithik and Akshay or even Darsheel for that matter.
Naming the dog Shah Rukh Khan is an insult to the dog! SRK deserves this. He acts arrogantly constantly taking unnessecary digs at other actors who are not in a position to retaliate because of SRK’s mafia connectinons.
SRK has no dignity. A person who cannot respect a legend like mr AMITABH BACHCHAN is bound to be a back stabber. Nobody knows his family and upbringing. He does not have and will never have values because of his questionable upbringing . To top it he is the worst actor who thinks he is above all. There can be only one legend and thats MR. BACHCHAN, dignity personified and with great values.
SRK is a hakla and the cheapest cahracter in this universe. The hakla can’t act so he undermines others achievements. He is a super worst and third grade actor indian cinema has ever seeen.
SRk has no dignity. Never did have and never will. I think its his uprbringing, he was never taught how to respect other people or elders.
He is just doing this for publicity as he knows his film career has been taken over…!
SRK without media is nothing. I repeat NOTHING!! He needs the media to talk about him and write stories about him to keep him in the public eye. Thats the reason why he keeps going to cricket games.
If you take the media out and just base his stardom on movies. Then there is nothing much to talk about. All his big films are herione orientated. DDLJ, KKHH etc etc…
Even CHAK DE was a story that revolved around 16 girls.
He will never be a legend like AB who achieved his stardom in the 70s and 80s minus the media! He had banned the film media for 15 years yet he became the biggest ever star. Can you imagine SRK without the media. It will be like fish without water…!
To Harold!when srk makes fun of his fellow friends,then everyone laughs with him but when aamir and AB tried to make fun of srk,it just ended up that no one laughed and they look jelous!he is better aducated,more civilzed and more humble than AB and Aamir!calling a dog after his rival(what was he tinking or was he even thinking)AB compared the 2 shows(why did not srk said that he brought in more money for the new don than AB did for the old one).He is better person cause he tasted the life of poverty,hard life that AB and Aamir(the spoilt brats never tasted).he made the impossible,that only dilip saab made.coming from the streets and became the biggest actor!
to harold,
what has family background and upbringing to do with srk?i doubt on your questionable upbringing also as u have stooped so low to insult srk.has srk in anyway harmed u? if u don’t like him, that’s fine. u have no right to insult him like this. what srk is now is due to his hard work. he has gone through a lot of formidable paths to achieve this success.
Shah Rukh blames himself for TV show flop.
Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan has put the blame of the failed TV game-show Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain, solely on himself.
“Even in my films, it is said that it will get a good opening because I am there. If I consider the same yardstick, a star of my calibre should have brought enough audiences before the television set. If there is no opening and lack of appeal for the show despite my presence, then I think I am responsible. But, I do my best whatever I can do creatively,” Shah Rukh told the media while shooting for the Star Plus show