A guest post on Devika Fernando’s blog on the magical Amitabh. Here’s her introduction: “I love reading Indian author Usha Narayanan’s quirky and insightful guest posts that are always a perfect mix of information and entertainment. So I’m really happy that my friend has stopped by my blog today. Read what she has to say about one of the greatest actors ever, Amitabh Bachchan.”

The Man. The Magic. The Message.
I have not seen his movies a hundred times. I cannot recite dialogues from ‘Sholay’ or ‘Deewar’. I do not watch his shows regularly. I do not follow him on social media. I do not send him fan mail. I am just one of the billions of people in India and abroad who admires the man behind the public persona, beyond the fireworks and the arc lights.

Amitabh Bachchan. Over 200 movies. Countless awards. Honours abroad. The first Asian to feature in London’s Madame Tussauds. 12.6M Twitter followers. 37.7K tweets. 18.8M Likes on Facebook… What is the magic he exudes that has made him highly relevant at the age of 72, when people half his age are fighting to make a mark? What is it we can learn from him in order to make our lives more meaningful?

Here are some factors that I think have contributed to making him who he is:

A yen for challenges
He gave 12 consecutive flops before he had his first big hit Zanjeer. His business left him with colossal losses from which he freed himself, debt by debt. The fighting spirit remains today as he tries out new media, new movies helmed by fresh minds, and masters new skills like singing a complete song in his latest…’Shamitabh’.

Humility
His first salary was Rs 500. He was rejected by All India Radio which found his voice unsuitable. He still remembers the bench on Marine Drive where he slept nights during his struggling days. Now he earns in crores. He sings for Maestro Ilayaraja. But he remains punctilious in keeping his commitments, never throwing his weight around. He is always polite and dignified. If this were a mask, it could not have been sustained over so many years. Hence, this could only be his true character.

Reinventing himself
Where do stars go when they cross 50? For female stars the countdown starts at an even earlier age. But Amitabh reinvented himself, experimenting with roles, hairstyles, perceptions, even storming the TV medium at a time when movie stars regarded it as being infra dig.

Passion for life
Amitabh Bachchan acts, dances, writes poetry, tweets, blogs, hosts TV shows, promotes India, and serves as brand ambassador for premium products. His exuberant spirit brought him back to life after his near-fatal injury on the sets of ‘Coolie’.

The man is a legend. A powerhouse of talent. An inspiration. He lives in today, as we should too.

Let tomorrow take care of itself.