The ardent Big B worshipper has been collecting autographs and letters of those of the Bachchan family
You must have heard stories of fans doing all sort of things for their superstars. The story of 55-year-old NM Bhandary is more or less the same. The ardent Big B worshipper has been collecting autographs and letters of those of the Bachchan family.
"Mere pas Bachchanji ke parivar ke 75 autographs hai.(I have 75 autographs of the Bachchan family). I prefer calling myself a well-wisher than a fan," said Bhandary while talking to DNA on the occasion of the actor's 75th birthday.
Bhandari, who works in a private company in Navrangpura and says he watches only Big B's films, even got a place in the Limca Book of Records for having 50 letters written to him by the Bachchan family.
"I was so inspired by him that I decided to write to his father, noted Indian poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan. To my surprise, he wrote back. That's how it all began. I made it a point of sending him a letter on every occasion and he always replied. I have letters of Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek and even Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. When the letters crossed 50, Limca Books included my name and CM Vijay Rupani himself congratulated me through a letter. It was a moment of immense pride," Bhandari, who even got the name of his wife changed to Jaya, said.
"After Kabhie Kabhie released in 1976, I might have watched it 100-125 times. I have watched all his movies. I am a devotee of his voice. He is nothing less than a god to me...Before marriage, I had told my wife that I adore Bachchan ji, and put forward a condition that after marriage she would have to change her name to Jaya. After the marriage, we changed the name through an affidavit," Bhandari, a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan, said.
Bhandari even gave the name of Shweta (Amitabh's daughter) to his daughter. "When my wife was pregnant, I had decided that if it's a girl, we would name her Shweta and if a boy, we would call him Abhishek. I was blessed with a girl," he said.
Though there are reports of Big B going in for a low-key birthday celebration on October 11 this year, Bhandari, reveals his plans to celebrate Amitabh Bachchan's birthday. "I don't cut cakes. I believe in doing something for the needy. I spend time with orphans and derive satisfaction after giving them food or helping the ill. Last year, on Bachchanji's wedding anniversary, I helped in treatment of a 11-year-old cancer patient. I had got a letter from Amitabh Sir congratulating me and urging me to keep doing good deeds."
Sharing another instance, Bhandari says, "I had even been an audience to Kaun Banega Crorepati TV show. I had photo-framed his dialogue-"Mere paas Maa hai!"- and took two copies of it with me when I went there. While I gifted one to Amitji, I got the second one autographed from him. I visit him every year. He is a part and parcel of my life. He is my God."
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 "NM Bhandary")
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