mitabh Bachchan has made some hard decisions. "I don't think I will do inconsequential roles any more. In Kyun! Ho Gaya Na... I may not be in the film throughout but the role is substantial enough to make sure audiences don't feel cheated. They feel cheated when they don't see me enough on screen. I get regular sms messages warning me against inconsequential roles. There is a huge resentment about the length of my roles in some recent films. I need to respect that sentiment. God bless them. And God bless Ravi Chopra for giving me Baghban."
Baghban
, starring Bachchan and Hema Malini in pivotal roles, was one of last year's big hits.The experience of working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali has changed the Big B's perception of his talent.
"Working with Sanjay has rejuvenated me as an actor. When I saw the rushes of Black recently, I could not sleep at night. I was haunted by the images. He must work with me again after Black. There were times on the sets when I would complete a sentence that he started! Maybe we should do a comedy together. Sanjay has a great sense of comedy."
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Though Bachchan will appear in a flood of films this year, he will choose his new assignments carefully.
He recently signed Ravi Chopra's Babul, which is about a father-in-law who wants to bring happiness in his widowed daughter-in-law's life. The film also stars Hema Malini, Salman Khan and Rani Mukerji.
In AB Corp Limited's Viruddh, Mahesh Manjrekar will direct Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore and John Abraham. The film is about an old couple struck by tragedy.
In Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar, Bachchan does a Marlon Brando in The Godfather. The film also features son Abhishek. "Obviously, I'd be inspired by Brando. But I will not imitate him. Ramu will start shooting from September 1," he says. The rest of the cast is yet to be finalised.
Bachchan is also doing Romesh Sharma's Dil Jo Bhi Kahey, which is about the migration of Indians to Mauritius. Sharma will launch his son Karan in the film. "Romesh is a very dear family friend. Anything for him," he says.
Sharma -- who was at the FTII along with Jaya Bachchan (then Bhaduri) -- has produced some of Bachchan's films like Hum, Suhaag and the recent Aetbaar.
In Rituparno Ghosh's film, Bachchan plays a father who overshadows his son. Shabana Azmi plays his wife. Azmi's stepson, director Farhan Akhtar, will play their son in the film. "It's an unusual cast," Bachchan admits. "I am looking forward to working with these people. Shabana and I were together in Main Azaad Hoon. She is a brilliant actress. Having worked with Farhan [in Lakshya], I know what he is capable of. Unlike his colleagues, he dared to go from a safe genre like Dil Chahta Hai to untried territory in Lakshya. Hats off to him!"
But Bachchan reacted sharply to Mahesh Bhatt's statement that the Big B should be more compassionate.
"I have no compassion to spare for him. I would rather spare it for the poor starving farmers of Andhra Pradesh, polio and dowry victims. I won't be compassionate to you, Mr Bhatt! I am tired of people taking advantage of what has come to be known as my dignified silence. No more standing in the middle of the road waiting for a passerby to pelt a stone at me. Ab bahut ho gaya [Enough is enough!]. I have realised if you keep quiet, people rub your head in the mud. If I make a mistake, I will be the first to admit it. But if you exploit my name, I won't stand for it," he says.
Apparently, Bachchan's anger arises from the fact that Bhatt criticised the star's close friend, politician Amar Singh, for what occurred at the Zee Cine Awards in Dubai earlier this year.
At the awards ceremony, Bachchan was asked to sit in the 15th row. Singh, who was with him, protested against the 'humiliation.' The superstar and his entourage later got front row seats.