The Bachchan Series Part 5 – Sharing Screen Time; Bring Em On !!

Vivek Kumar | Movies | November 14, 2006 at 2:19 pm

Hi Folks,

A few more days and we will be in the midst of festivities in NY. But
let us continue with our journey. Often times it is said that Artists
are very insecure people, always seeking attention and always trying
not to be overshadowed. Not that corporate professionals are any
different. Anyway the point is that most artists shy away from
sharing screen time, for the fear that they may get totally
overshadowed.

Then there is AB.

Let us analyze the number of times he has shared screen time and come
out on tops.

Pre Superstar days:

AB does Namak Haram and Anand with Rajesh Khanna, who is riding on a
wave of popularity (he also dies in both, remember my earlier write
up about the sympathy vote, but then AB breaks every rule in the
book). The result is that Khanna’s career nosedives and a new star
emerges.

In 1971, an actor by the name of Navin Nischol was touted as the next
big thing.A movie called Parvana is made. AB plays the negative to
Navin’s psotive. A career goes into oblivion, a career comes out of
the horizon.

1975:

India’s biggest film is made- SHOLAY. It has an ensemble of actors,
each one at the zenith of their popularity. Dharam, Sanjeev, Hema,
Jaya. An actor is turned down for a role. Dharam put’s in a word for
this actor, to the filmmaker and the director reverses his decision.
that actor is Bachchan. How many people are there who cannot remember
Jay of Sholay?

The Superstar Days:

Trishul,Kala Pathar, Mukkadar Ka Sikander, Hera Pheri, Parvarish,Amar
Akbar Anthony,Shaan, Naseeb, Silisila,Satte Pe Satta in all these he
shares time with some of the most happening actors of that era, in
fact all era’s. Sanjeev, Vinod, Shashi, Rishi, each one a fine actor,
yet one man holds his own agianst all of them while never facing any
charges of cutting the others role, etc. Insecure people need to do
that. For a man who once said ” While I was fairly confident of
enacting any role given to me, my issue was my face, would that be
accepted by the audience,” clearly good acting by fellow actors,
inspired rather than created fear in him.

The Big Four:

In four of the largest “sharing of screen time,” in his career, AB
has arguably been the one left with the applause.

They are as follows:

Shakti in 1982 with Dilip Kumar. There will be those who say Dilip is
India’s best, there will be those who will say AB is the ture king,
but none can deny that thier combined presence on the screen left
audiences enchanted and awestruck. Verdicts will vary….my vote goes
to AB, especially in the confrontation scenes with Dilip.

Mohabattein and K3G with SRK. Again verdicts will vary, what cannot
be doubted is that Mohabattein in 2000 gave us a new superstar…..an
aging AB…quite a tunaround for his fortunes from the prior 3-4
years. He matched SRK scene for scene, act for act…again. in my
biased opinion the steely gaze and the steadfast persona of Narayan
Shanker overwhelmed Aryaan.

Dev with India’s best actor….Om Puri. Although the movie did
average business in the box office it proved one thing…AB can match
any “arthouse” actor and rather than getting overwhelmed actually
rises to the occasion…ok now bring on Naseer.

Finally AKS???????Aks, you’ll may ask, who was in that…..Manoj
Bajpai….sure his career hasn’t taken off the way it should have but
he is one of the best we have in the business…for sheer acting
ability and that scene in Aks where a 60 something AB jumps of a 30
foot waterfall (he actually did that) with a 30 something Manoj in
handcuffs is very well etched in my mind…..”Na koi marta hain…na
marta hain”

CURRENT DAYS:

I don’t need to say what he did in Khakee and Kaante.

So what is it about AB, that let’s him take on the best of the breed
and come out on top?

Honestly I don’t know, we will analyze that some other time……

For now picture this scene in KAANTE.

Six folks walking out of the LAPD and the camera is affixed on them.
All wearing shades, all wearing a suit, yet even to a person who does
not follow Bollywood, one amongst them stands out….one amongst them
has the walk of the leader…the others follow…one amongst them is
India’s finest actor…..why? who know and who cares enjoy him in NY.

Sincerely,

Vivek “never ask a king what made him a king, he’ll probably not
know” Kumar

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