Amitabh Bachchan’s Gulabo Sitabo takes place in Lucknow. (Image courtesy: amitabhbachchan.ab )
Strong points
- Amitabh Bachchan also talked about filming at Lucknow
- “Lucknow was a pleasure to work with,” he said.
- “Never had a problem,” he added.
New Delhi:
The return of Hindi cinema to the small town is a “very welcome” trend that stems from the desire of many filmmakers to revisit the places where they grew up, says Amitabh Bachchan whose last film Gulabo Sitabo takes place in Lucknow, reported the PTI news agency. Gulabo Sitabo, which was released on Amazon Prime on Friday and is the first major film to be premiered on an OTT platform, is directed by Mr. Bachchan’s frequent collaborator, Shoojit Sircar. It revolves around the character of Amitabh Bachchan Mirza and his cat and mouse game with his cunning tenant Banke (Ayushmann Khurrana). Asked about the return of Hindi cinema to small town stories in recent years, Amitabh Bachchan told PTI: “Yes, this is a very welcome trend! Most of us living in urban areas and working from from there come from the small town you’re talking about, or have connections. The creators feel like they want to relive those moments and so the stories have these ingredients. “
He added that modern, lavish and urban elite montages are often seen on international television shows and are readily available. “So reliving the early years and years of growth in this small town brings back memories to many, manufacturers and moviegoers,” said Amitabh Bachchan in an email interview.
The 77-year-old player, one of India’s most enduring stars who continues to be in demand even today, said he was not someone who questions his directors about the roles that are offered to him and that’s why he didn’t ask Shoojit Sircar about his role as Mirza in Gulabo Sitabo. The two worked together in four films – the unreleased Shoebite, Piku and Pink, which the director produced, and now Gulabo Sitabo.
“For a good part of almost 20 years, I starred, the hero, the end of the girl and the sunset in my films and Salim Javed, Manmohan Desai, Prakash Mehra, et al were never interviewed, “said Amitabh Bachchan, citing the example of his past collaborations with directors and screenwriters in the 70s and 80s.
“I never questioned these pillars then, I’m not going to question Shoojit now. You could ask him to solve this problem … I take whatever he gives or builds for me. I don’t ‘come back’, I’m waiting for my ‘turn’ to be called by him, “Amitabh Bachchan told PTI.
Filming in Lucknow, said Amitabh Bachchan, was a pleasant experience with the authorities as well as with the people cooperating in the filming process. “Lucknow was a pleasure to work. A well understood audience … never disturbed the filming, the authorities cooperated with great ease and just the place where the city of Nawabs is located, its own history and its culture so endearing. Never had a problem at all and while we were there, at least 3 other shootings with prominent artists were also underway! “he added.
Amitabh Bachchan is not new to physical transformations – he played a teenager suffering from progeria Paa and a 102 year old 102 Not Out. For Gulabo Sitabo, he spent four to five hours in the makeup chair. “It was tough, time-consuming, 4 to 5 hours a day. The summer heat of May, it all added to the process. But the final results, in the expert hands of most of the skilled makeup artists, were exemplary.”
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
