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Bachchan Jr in action

Sharmila Taliculam

Abhishek Bachchan doesn't have any starry airs. At least not yet. The son of one of India's biggest movie stars seems to wear his pedigree lightly. He looked quite relaxed as he waited for his shot on the sets of Dhai Akshar Prem Ke at the Kamal Amrohi Studios in Bombay.

Dressed in a tee shirt and jeans, he definitely doesn't look like the average boy next door. With his imposing height and deep baritone voice, Abhishek immediately draws attention. And, of course, there is no forgetting his lineage. As the son of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, he has been getting more attention than is usually devoted to a newcomer. But that doesn't seem to have gone to his head.

The unit seems quite at ease with him. Earlier, when he walked into sets, Abhishek first greeted his producer-director Raj Kanwar and then dropped a quick hello to everyone else too. There is a little debate on whether he needs fresh make up, which is finally resolved when Abhishek decides to don some more grease paint before he faces the camera.

As he disappears into his make-up room, we decide to find out more about the movie. Dhai Akshar... is being pegged as an "emotional love story," with Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai as the lead pair.

"This is a very emotional love story with a lot of humanness in it. I chose Aishwarya because I saw some of her films and liked her performance, especially in Taal. I thought she suited the character of Saayba very well," says Raj Kanwar.

Known for his 'volatile' love stories Raj Kanwar, for all those who can't place him, has also directed Deewana, Jaan and Daag -- The Fire. He is, with his easy-going manner, quite friendly and lets his stars talk to the press freely, unlike a lot of directors who watch every word they say.

So it is with great disappointment that we learn that Bachchan Jr is under an ironclad contract about not talking to the press. But we decide to watch him in action anyway. Who knows, we might just get lucky!! This is, after all, the world of showbiz.

Abhishek, in the meanwhile, continues to remain missing. We decide to prowl around the sets. The entrance to the studio has a lot of buses waiting. And they are all set to go to one of Bollywood's favourite places: Palanpur.

The set itself is that of a bungalow. But a real quaint one. For a single room has everything built into it. The bedroom, the study and even the living room. For all those wondering how this is possible, welcome to the world of make-believe where a little ingenuity on part of the set designer can work wonders. All you have to do is to place a huge bed in one corner, bookshelves and a computer in the next, armchairs in the last. And voila! You have all you want in a single room.

With no sign of Abhishek Bachchan yet, Kanwar decides to shoot a scene with Amrish Puri and Nina Kulkarni. "Amrish and Nina are Aishwarya's parents. Nina has to go up to Amrish and tell him their daughter is expecting. Amrish is not happy to hear that," Kanwar explains.

Puri is not his usual bald self today. Armed with a wig and business-like suspenders, he has the typical rich-dad-of-the-heroine look. Kulkarni, too, glides in wearing a yellow silk sari topped off with lots of jewellery.

As she walks up to Kanwar to discuss the scene, Puri takes his position in front of the camera. Which, of course, rolls.

Amrish Puri is reading a file, when Nina runs upto him and lays her head against his shoulders.

Puri: "Kya hua (What happened)?"

Kulkarni (wiping her tears): "Aisi kushi naseeb walon ko hi milti hai. Saayba umeed se hai (I am so happy. Saayba is expecting)."

Puri looks shocked and angry and walks out of the 'room' in a huff. Obviously, he doesn't share his wife's sentiments. The director yells, "Cut."

Sounds simple, right? Not.

Kanwar is not satisfied. The scene requires four takes -- with Kanwar pitching in twice with explanations about how he wants it done -- before it is canned. Phew! Quite tiring. Wonder how he manages, especially since he's been at it from seven in the morning.

Deciding to take a break, we come out of the 'house' and are suddenly shocked to see a crowd of people barging onto the sets. Men, women, children, Sardarjis, they are all over the place. It begins to get so overcrowded that Kanwar has to ask some of them to vacate the benches they are sitting on. The benches, you see, are in the field of vision.

Visitors? Tourists? we wonder. Kanwar hastens to explain. "This story is about a girl and a boy who keep meeting each other in different circumstances and locations through the film. This bus station is one such place where they meet."

Kanwar and his team ready for the next shot Aishwarya walks in dressed in a white salwar kameez. She looks stunning, but there is this sad look on her face. Just as we begin to ask around if something is wrong, someone tells us the scene requires her to look sad so she is practising. Ash continues to stare into vacant space as she sips tea from a clay cup.

Just when Kanwar decides to shoot Ash's scene first because Bachchan Jr is still missing, a lady standing behind me taps me on the shoulder. "Who is shooting, please?" she asks innocently. "Ash and Abhishek," we inform her. Her face breaks into a grin as she asks, "When will Abhishek come?" Smiling at her indulgently, we are just about to say we don't know when he finally walks in front of the camera.

Abhishek has changed into a shirt, trousers and is hanging on to a backpack with a guitar tucked into it. He walks up to the unhappy-looking Ash to discuss the scene with her. Abhishek is supposed to fetch a ticket for his heroine and then ask her what's wrong. Remembering the earlier shot, we realise that the melancholic look on Ash's face is because her character is supposed to be pregnant.

Despite the sombre mood of the scene, though, Abhishek is very mischievous. Out of the blue, he takes a fighting stand and tries to box with Kanwar. Then, equally suddenly, he'd break into a jig. One must say Abhishek is quite a delight on the sets. He laughs easily and cracks jokes between shots. And walks through his scenes with real ease. Which, quite probably, has something to do with his genes!

Aishwarya, however, plays her character to the hilt. She maintains her serious look all through all the fun and the games. It is close to six-thirty in the evening when the crew finally decides to wind up after one final shot.

Kanwar himself looks ready to drop dead despite his claim, "For me, work is relaxation. I love working long hours like this."

The last shot of the day centres around Ash catching a bus to Palanpur, with Abhishek looking after it in a disturbed manner. Four of the children are expected to run towards another bus, but all the children there are excited. They all want to be part of the shot. Kanwar relents and lets all eight go.

The last scene is finally canned and a cheer rouses the sets. Everyone relaxes and stands around chatting. Ash, though, decides to leave immediately. She is in a hurry as she is expected at a rehearsal. Abhishek is much more relaxed. But he still refuses to talk to us. "I feel very uncomfortable talking like this," he says. Sigh! Part of the contract, we remind ourselves as we walk out of the sets.