'Frank Speak': Apple of Amitabh’s eye

Superstar Amitabh Bachchan has achieved what many people only dream of — being sought after in films as well as on television even at the ripe age of 70. In an exclusive chat with After Hrs, he shared the joy the birth of the youngest member in the Bachchan household has brought him and what are the milestones that he still has to achieve.

‘This is not the first time that I have become a grandfather as my daughter Shweta has two kids, so the joy is equal,” says AB. “But nowadays, I am always in a hurry to rush back home and spend some quality time with Aaradhya. It is always great fun and I love to play childish games with her,” he adds. It appeared that Big B was in a rush to wind up the interview and head home to the gleeful greetings of Aaradhya who seems to have wrapped her grandfather around her little finger.

And yes, Bachchan will finally make his Hollywood debut in Baz Luhrmann’s 3D adaptation of The Great Gatsby. But he seems to be a bit disappointed with the duration of his cameo appearance. “In The Great Gatsby I will come and go as I have a small role,” he says. The superstar fondly recalls how the Hollywood director spotted him in a village poster.

“Baz Luhrmann had come to tour India on a motorcycle and expressed a desire to see me. I think he had seen a poster of Sholay in a village. About a year after this meeting, he offered me the film,” he says and adds that now that he has begun his Hollywood journey, he is more than happy to go out and woo global audiences. “If there is an international offer that is worth exploring I will consider it,” he says.

“As for my Bollywood films, I am going  to start work from December. Few films in the pipeline are Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha, Sudhir Mishra’s Mehrunissa, Sujoy Ghosh’s Badla, R Balki’s yet untitled film and Bhoothnath 2,” he adds with his characteristic grin.