i met amitabh bachchan

[lobelia321]

Today, I met Amitabh Bachchan. I am still in a flutter. I was so tongue-tied that I didn't manage to say more than a 'Pleased to meet you' when I shook his hand. T'h actually spent some time in the pre-meeting inner circle with him but was also in a complete star-struck state. T'h said: 'I have never before met real star power, real charisma. I just want to hover in his aura for the next few months.' Amitabh Bachchan wears his stardom incredibly well and as only an Indian superstar can. He is very dignified, full of gravitas (that deep sonorous voice helps, as does that columnar height), very modest. He spoke very engagingly and simply about his father, Harivanshrai "Bachchan" Srivastav who obtained a doctorate in English from Cambridge University in 1954. In fact, the father, also a famous Hindi poet, studied at t'h's college which is why we had the honour of being present at this meeting to begin with. It was a meeting organised to honour Harivanshrai Bachchan's centenary which is coming up next year and will be celebrated in larger style then. This was only a small gathering, no more than 20, 25 people, most of them Indian, and two of them two burly body guards from a London firm (!!). But most of the Fellows of the college didn't turn up because they don't know who he is! All the Indians were quite evidently completely starstruck and most of the non-Indians, I have to say, were, too.

Luckily, I had told t'h to wear a tie. Every man wore a tie. I spent quite some time figuring out which of my Kew clothes to wear. I came home from work and had a shower and changed specially, I was in such a pre-meeting state of excitement! The Indian women all wore saris; I am wearing a long, flowy black skirt and black ballerinas and a lilac T-shirt with buttons on the décolleté. Amitabh Bachchan unveiled a portrait commissioned by the college of his father, and the portrait's artist, Suresh Patel, was also there.

T'h had said that it would be vulgar to rush up with papers to be autographed and cameras but I noticed that this didn't stop many of the Indians who clutched digital cameras and pieces of paper with pens. We asked, though, the guy who organised the whole thing to get us a signed photo; he had a whole sheaf of to-be-signed photos with him so maybe I will get one.

I am still quite a-swoon about this!!

Comments

[rossywar.livejournal.com]

That is so amazing. I'm glad that he is just as impressive in real life as you would imagine. I'm very envious that you got to meet him!!

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I am still in a swoon about it. We both are.

[junalele.livejournal.com]

First Kaká and now Amitabh Bachchan who really has a magic voice. *swoons slightly* You're obviously on a roll... :D

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I know! Kaká, to be fair, I only saw from a fifty meter distance... But I pressed Amitabh Bachchan's hand! Also, AB is actually more famous than Kaká. Weird but true. It's because of those cricket-exporting imperialist Britons. The Indians know little about football.

[junalele.livejournal.com]

Well, 50 meters is a good deal closer than I will ever get to him. Probably. See, that's the great thing about figure skating. It's really not a problem to get close up and personal to even the biggest stars. Though I didn't shake any hands nor got any autographs but that was because I would have been emberassed to ask. :)

And well, I'm not sure if AB (God bless abbreviations! :)) is actually more famous than Kaká because I can't really judge how famous Kaká is in Southern America but AB definetly is a mega star with a magic voice and you shook is hand. *squee*

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Now thisis an interesting demographic question. One would have to calculate the number of people in South America and deduct from that the number of estimated people who are not into football, and then one would have to add together the populations of India, Pakistan, the Arabian peninsula, Turkey and all the Indian diaspora, and probably deduct nothing because I hazard that virtually everybody knows Amitabh Bachchan there, and then one could come up with a 'more or less famous' graphometer thing.

Hm. It is no surprise that I did not study statistics.

[junalele.livejournal.com]

Also one would have to take into account the rest of the world. Are there as much or even more Bollywood fans than football fans?

But since we both didn't study statistics (and for good reason) let's just agree on the superstardom of both of them. AB though is also an icon which Kaká isn't or at least not in my opinion.

[karneol-vision.livejournal.com]

Wow... He always seems to me like one of those people that simply radiate something. Really impressive, awe-inspiring. It's made me a little ... 'whooshy' to read what you write about him, even the idea that you met him and I was reading... as was said impressive.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I am still in a swoon about it! I had dreams all night.

[msilverstar]

Real charisma is amazing. I've met Steve Jobs and he so has it.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Who is Steve Jobs?