The Biggest B of the Century

Success has never been a slave of another person like it has been for this one man – Amitabh Bachchan.I have been a diehard fan of this 6 feet 2 inches tall man ever since I was five years of age. I worshipped him like a god. My parents were also fans of this charismatic man.

If on a Friday his movie released my mother would insist father to book the tickets in advance for Sunday matinee, lest there was every chance of us to not even manage tickets in black at the last ,moment as the rush would be profound. Everything related to Amitabh appealed to me.I would often insist my parents to buy me his postcards(worth 50 paise those days)……. … would claim Iam Amitabh myself …………. Would try and buy shirts or T shirts having similar shades as worn by Amitabh in his last movie ( Could not get his costumes ..size mattered)…..would wait to hear a song on the radio which was picturized on my beloved demi god…..would run upstairs to our landlord’s house to watch the Wednesday Chitrahaar to catch a glimpse of my hero expecting his songs to be played ….I was really crazy …………..So much so that my parents found a new means to make me have the vegetables I hated having …… My dad deliberately declared that pumpkin was the favourite vegetable of Amitabh and I would innocently start consuming it though I hated it the most …….. I was given to believe that Amitabh was strong and tall just because he had pumpkins ……. I realize these were mere stories as I am only 5’9 and several inches shorter than this maestro …………..

My Amitabh- Bhakti was profound ,at least among our known people, that they even to this day call me Amitabh ….(I feel very embaressed when I see people turning around to see who this new Amitabh is and contempt fully turn around their heads…….).Each time he cried in his movies I wept,each time he bashed the goons I would wait to get my turn and pray my strength also gets transferred to my hero so that he could give stronger blows to his opponent……….

Not many are aware of the fact that a series of comics were released in the mid eighties to encash the fame of this hero.Diamond Comics had launched “ Supremo”.Gulzar was supposedly the Script Consultant of the series.However the series of Supremo was short lived and did not run for a long time. The attire of Supremo was unconventional.Unlike Superman couture of undies-over-tights Supremo has a piece of brown cloth draped coyly around his waist, held there by a hip-holster. What is thrilling though is the fact that everywhere Amitabh’s face is drawn in these frozen, movie-poster kind of expressions, as if it was copied from various photos and stills. Very sweetly, the issue also has a letter from Amitabh to the kids thanking them for their support during his illness.

I dedicate this post to my hero whom I worship even to this date.I have managed to get some rare collections of his photos which I would like to share with all of you ……