Big B's buzz on travel

Reema Sisodia tries to unearth Amitabh Bachchan, the traveller

For most people, a sight of the man would do. That, in itself, is difficult. And to get a little bit of the Big B's time is next to impossible, especially if the queries you want answered is related to aspects of his personal life - his travel habits, for instance. But still, once in a while, the luck holds…

I managed to meet Amitabh Bachchan at the J W Marriott Hotel, Mumbai where he was to address a press conference for the International Indian Film Awards (IIFA). As brand ambassador of IIFA, he was there to announce the venue of IIFA 2004. Since it was to be held in Singapore, which is a significant travel destination, I thought it would not be too amiss to squeeze in a few questions about his preferences with respect to travel.

A mini stampede is de rigueur when Amitabh Bachchan walks in and it was no different when he entered the banquet hall dressed, impeccably as usual, in a black suit with a yellow tie. The media representatives, both national and international, typically tried to jump over each other while Bachchan took his seat, apologised for the delay and promised that the seating arrangements would be well organised (an snide allusion to a seating controversy in Dubai).

In his address, besides news about the film festival, Bachchan touched upon Singapore, the venue for IIFA 2004. "Singapore is one of the cleanest places in the world. I have always liked it because the people of Singapore always welcome you with a smile." This was destination-speak, of interest to me. But that comment was not enough. I needed more about Bachchan the traveller. I was promised a meeting after a while and a long wait followed. I used the time to think about Bachchan, the superstar. It is a life, pretty much well documented but a rivetting journey nevertheless.

Khaled Mohammed's book 'To Be Or Not To Be: Amitabh Bachchan' (publisher: Saraswathi Creations), which was presented by his wife to him on his 60th birthday present, is probably one of the most recent tomes providing an in-depth look into the man. It talks about Bachchan playing his first character in kindergarten of a chicken flapping its wings, of the student of New Delhi's Kirorimal College whose idea of becoming a scientist was short-lived as soon as the lectures started, who did not clear his BSc physics exams (he did get a second division in his second attempt six month later). And thence to the 'City of Joy' (Kolkata) in 1963 for his first job in the coal department of the agency house, Bird & Co for a salary of Rs 500 plus company-provided lunch. Of the Rs 500, Rs 300 was reserved for rent for a place shared by seven others. Two years hence and there was another freight broking firm, Blacker & Co, a higher salary and a car, a black Morris Minor which later made away for a Standard Herald.

Life continued as an executive in Kolkata along with the passion for acting till his brother, insistent that Bachchan try his hand at films, did an amateur photo-shoot of him around Kolkata's Victoria Memorial. This picture found its way into the hands of director KA Abbas and got him a role in 'Saat Hindustani'. The year was 1969. The rest, as they say, is history. To summarise what followed - superstardom, a hasty entry and an equally fast retreat from politics, near bankruptcy, Kaun Banega Crorepati, revival and as of now, a superstar again, albeit with another image…

The legend speaks

The press conference is over and I wait three hours for my time with Amitabh Bachchan. We are led in to where The Big B sits, silent, gracious…the bearing is almost spiritual. Since the press conference is about IIFA whose venue is Singapore, I begin by asking him about Singapore. What is it about the place that attracts him? On this topic, Bachchan is loquacious. He says, "I am attracted to Singapore for its shopping and the electronics in particular. They are extremely good, very modern with the latest equipment on display. I am fond of listening to music and enjoy photography, hence it is a pleasure to visit the city. Singapore is one of the cleanest places in the world. I have always liked it because the people of Singapore always welcome you with a smile."

Any Singaporean experiences worth sharing? "I shot one of my films there, an action sequence on helicopters because we were not getting those kind of permissions and helicopters in India. We were readily given that permission in Singapore. We were actually quite surprised that we were moving around inside the Changi Airport as though we own the place. They were so liberal with everything, they gave us the place and the location and we did some wonderful shooting because the airport actually flows into the water," he says.

I ask him how would he describe himself as a traveller. The answer is a little terse and somewhat cryptic "I am a traveller who's very disciplined." What exactly does disciplined travel mean and I get a dose of the Bachchan dry humour. "I am petrified of making a mistake. I don't want to have long hair because I know I will be penalised. I will see to it that I have an hair cut and I will never chew gum." But, cryptically, he adds this, "If I get the opportunity then I would love to be an avid traveller."

What about in-flight service? Is he a picky and choosy type, does he have any strong musts, does he have any food preferences whilst on air? The question does not arise, he says. "Most of the time we are travelling west and thanks to the laws of aviation all the flights from India take off after midnight, so you have had your meal, and they always arrive in the west in time for breakfast. So obviously you don't eat anything on the aircraft."

So, I ask him about his eating habits 'out-flight'. Bachchan's a vegetarian, nothing to do with religion or heath, but because, as he puts it, "I like vegetarian food. I hope that I can get that whenever I am abroad. I also like Chinese food and Italian food. I used to eat non-vegetarian food but I gave it up."

Suddenly, the top of my pen flies off and the Big B points it out to me. I tell him that I can manage without it and use the opportunity to ask about a peculiarity about his writing that I had noticed and this is what puzzles me - the whole of India knows Amitabh Bachchan is left handed and yet, he writes with his right hand. Why…how? "I wrote with my left hand for the first five-six years of my life. Then my father changed me. Though I use my right hand, I can write with the left also," he says.

This minor digression done, I revert back to asking him about something related to travel, like his favourite car, for instance. No preferences, apparently. "I can go into a Maruti or a Santro."

Would you fit into a Maruti, sir, I courageously ask. I get another dose of the Bachchan dry humour. "No problem. I sit in the back seat of the car and drive."

Time out

It is already very late by now. Our time, or rather my time with Amitabh Bachchan, is running out. I can squeeze in one more question and decide to end with a cliché and ask him what he likes about India, where would he prefer to go to within the country. "Everything in India is good," he says. "I like to travel anywhere in India - New Delhi, Bombay, Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala, Kolkata, Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Gujarat…"

And so the interview is over and it is clear that Bachchan is a reticent man when it comes to personal details. One cannot however help admire the savoir-faire with which Bachchan guards his privacy. But this is after all Amitabh Bachchan and legends don't deign to speak to you everyday. I mutter the perfunctory thank you and wish him a good night.