The man regularly described as Bollywood’s greatest living legend regards the word “Bollywood” as a media gimmick that does not do justice to Indian cinema.
Amitabh Bachchan wants the country's film industry to be seen as a cultural institution in its own right, rather than as a pale imitation of Hollywood.
That same industry is set to showcase his talents once more when his latest film, the drama Wazir, debuts on UAE screens tomorrow.
“I think that India cinema has its own identity," he told Al Jazeera recently. "It’s very individual. I don’t see any reason why it should be compared to another name, from another part of the world.
But not even the man known as the Big B has the power to rename the industry over which he has reigned for so long – a fact that he himself acknowledges.
“That’s the way it goes. Some smart journalist came up with the name and now it’s in the Oxford dictionary. It’s going to be there for eternity now.”
Bachchan's career is as immense as the Indian entertainment industry itself. The superstar, who began his career by playing "angry young men" in the 1970s, now occupies the position of elder statesman. In Wazir he plays the role of a disabled chess grandmaster. Unlike his previous action thrillers such as Sholay and Coolie, Wazir does not feature any spectacular stunts from Bachchan. Instead, his character is an amputee who uses a wheelchair and undertakes impressive manoeuvres on the chessboard. However, (as any wheelchair user will tell you) getting around in a chair requires immense upper-body strength and Bachchan admitted that this role was physically challenging. After all, rather than using his legs and feet, he had to use "the two wheels of the chair".
This is Bachchan's second portrayal of a disabled person, having played in 2009 the role of a 12-year-old boy living with the rare genetic disorder called progeria, which causes premature ageing, in the film Paa.
It's easy to understand why Bachchan found it impossible to resist his roles in Paa and Wazir. After all, he long ago conquered the roles of action hero, romantic leading man and host of television game-show Kaun Benega Crorepati.
Yet for much of the western media, Bachchan only became known with his acclaimed but brief performance in Baz Lurhmann's 2013 film The Great Gatsby, in which he played Gatsby's mentor, the shady gangster Meyer Wolfsheim. A recent profile of Bachchan in the Australian media featured the headline "Megastar you've never heard of".
It's difficult to understand such parochial attitudes to such a hugely recognised superstar. On Twitter, @SrBachchan has 18.6 million followers. Along with Salman Khan, he tied for seventh place on the Forbes 2015 list of highest-paid male film stars, with estimated earnings of US$33.5m (Dh123m). His legendary status in India itself was long ago sealed, after an incident in 1982 in which he nearly died after suffering an injury on the set of Coolie. This brush with death was regarded as a national crisis, with fans filling the streets outside the hospital where he was being treated and the then-prime minister, Indira Gandhi, and her son Rajiv among the visitors to his bedside.
Bachchan’s own foray into politics during the 1980s, as a member of parliament for the Congress party, was brief and undistinguished.
However, he was able to return to the entertainment industry with his stature undiminished, and make the transition to television as it began to rival cinema in the affections of the Indian public. His role in The Great Gatsby led to speculation that he intended to take on more Hollywood roles. But Bachchan himself had denied having any such plans. After all, Bollywood – as he calls it only with reluctance – has already offered him the world.
Wazir is out in cinemas tomorrow.
artslife@thenational.ae
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)
Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)
Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)
MATCH INFO
Champions League last 16, first leg
Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)
CRICKET WORLD CUP QUALIFIER, ZIMBABWE
UAE fixtures
Monday, June 19
Sri Lanka v UAE, Queen’s Sports Club
Wednesday, June 21
Oman v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Friday, June 23
Scotland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Tuesday, June 27
Ireland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
by David Gilmour
Allen Lane
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
Scoreline
Ireland 16 (Tries: Stockdale Cons: Sexton Pens: Sexton 3)
New Zealand 9 (Pens: Barrett 2 Drop Goal: Barrett)
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now