The Last Superstar - Amitabh Bachchan

On the birthday of the most legendary actor ever, Amitabh Bachchan, I could have simply said - Happy Birthday to Amitabh Bachchan! But that wouldn't be enough for the man who fired unimaginable admiration across the globe cutting across language barriers!

Probably, this is what prompted French auteur Francois Truffaut to gush 'One Man Industry' giving India Today the headline 'One Man Industry' for a cover story that ran almost half-the-magazine and mind you - news-magazine.

While many might argue that there are superstars well after Bachchan, the fact is no other star in the industry before or after, ruled as Number 1 to Number 10 with an absolute authority. Probably, with the exception of his fiercest adversary, Rajesh Khanna. It was only natural for Khanna to say "the era of superstars will end after Bachchan".

I have met Mr. Bachchan thrice and all I can say is, the reason he is at the top in his age group in the world is that he adapted himself generation after generation. The swiftly swelling crowd at the Sunday-darshan at his abode, Jalsa is a striking testimony.

The fact that age has only bettered his act is so very evident from his role in two of his upcoming films set in future, Ganpath and Kalki 2898 AD; similar on paper, yet so distinctly different on screen all thanks to the unique dimensions Bachchan added to them.

The most cherished moment for me as an Indian, a Bachchan-fan and a cine-aste was at Cannes Film Festival 2013. The Great Gatsby opened the festival at a glitzy opening night. The standing ovation he got and the way Oscar-winner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie and Tobey Maguire looked at him, probably realizing the degree of his superstardom, is still so fresh! In fact, much of the security at Cannes from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon have a shiny-twinkle on reading my name, "Amit, Amitabh Bachchan" every time I hear it, I swell-up with pride.

Raj Kapoor in Russia and Amitabh Bachchan in APAC and Africa were indeed the forerunners to get Indian-cinema to international audiences.

As Amitabh Bachchan enters his 81st year, it gives me immense pleasure to start work on a script that I have dedicated to two of my favorites Bachchan and Balki, I have titled it Project OK. The drive for me to start writing again (I stopped writing after Beauty and The Baldie and Beehad Bhediya were flipped off) is, I want to be instrumental in Bachchan getting his 5th National Award for acting. I am sure he will - for a script from one of the biggest fan can only see Bachchan as all his fans worldwide want him - the complete actor!

God willing very soon. And Happy Birthday to Amitabh Bachchan again!