Every Sunday evening, for the past 35 years, a heartwarming drama carries itself outside the tall wooden gates of Jalsa, Amitabh Bachchan’s residence at Juhu in suburban Mumbai. His fans, thousands of them, as many as can block the main arterial road in Juhu and cause a traffic jam for miles, gather for a darshan of the great actor. They come from far and wide. From every corner of India. And where in the world will you not find an Amitabh Bachchan fan? They wait in all weather, sun, and rain with their cell phones ready, for the heavily barricaded and guarded gates to slowly open. To reveal the man himself, in a white churidar with a shawl around the shoulders, standing within with hands joined in namaste. This is the moment when the crowd goes ecstatic. And their roar of excitement can be heard for miles away as far as Andheri.
There’s a frenzy as they try to surge ahead for a closer look. To be restrained by the actor’s security guards. Cell phones go up for a picture. They chant his name. It’s like a religious ritual. But with more fervor. Entire busloads of tourists on a Mumbai Darshan are brought here as part of the itinerary. And the Juhu police, otherwise proud of the legend living in their jurisdiction, struggle to maintain law and order. The few fans that can get past the guards and barricades, charge the gates and try to touch his feet, or get a hug, a handshake, a picture to share back home of their great fortune. Thirty years ago, when I first witnessed this scene in 1992 from behind the gates and by Amitabh Bachchan’s side, there were no cell phones to record the moment. Fans would carry postcards that they would implore him to autograph. And then mail these to their families in the villages.
The devotion has continued over the decades. Fans’ children and their children, entire generations of them, continue the tradition. I like that Amitabh Bachchan spends his Sunday evenings giving his fans a treat. Some actors these days, not yet three films old, snarl at fans and brush them off when approached for a selfie at the airport. But not Amitabh Bachchan. He is the Hero of the Masses. The People’s Champion. He likes meeting people. He says getting out of the studio every day he shoots for KBC takes a couple of hours because the participants and their families, every member in the audience, want to come up close and meet him. When Covid prevented public gatherings, he could not meet his fans. But consoled them every Sunday night with exclusive pictures and videos and messages on Instagram. He is an actor. But this is not acting. It’s his gratitude to his fans.
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have been featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him in the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward in a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work.
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