AB Day 587

Respected Brother
Sadar Pranaam suprabhat
Before we talk more of that wonderful evening where we met and still not met.. I share a link of the voice of Dr. Bachchan where he provides initiation to the beautiful rendering of Madhushala by Manna Dey sahab..
http://abhayaharivansh.blogspot.com/2009/11/madhushala-in-harivansh-rai-bachchans.html

Also there were some errors which left unedited in my Hindi version of the Bachchan Sanfhya part 1 submitted late last night.. aapse gujaarish hai ki unko andekha kar de aur mujhe kshama kar den.. kahin anya bhool chook hui ho to uske liye bhi aapse anurodh hai apana chhota bhaai samajh kar meri galtiyon ko nazar andaz kar den..

Vaastav mein us shaam Dr. Bachchan se ek tarah se mulaakat hi to ho gai thee meri.. Kitane sundar pushp aapne unki kratiyon se chunkar ham logon ke liye prastut kiye.. shayad is chhote se jevan mein isase adhik main kya kah sakata hoon..

chhote se jeevan mein kitanapyar karun pee loon haala..aane ki hi saath jagat meinaane ke hi saath jagat meinkahalaaya jaane vala..

छोटे-से जीवन में कितना प्यार करुँ, पी लूँ हाला,
आने के ही साथ जगत में कहलाया ‘जानेवाला’,
स्वागत के ही साथ विदा की होती देखी तैयारी,
बंद लगी होने खुलते ही मेरी जीवन-मधुशाला।।६६।

I am happy that what I had added from memory was not all that wrong.. This is not the best verse for me.. the best I consider is most difficult to pick.. the complete Madhushala falls in that category.. and this is no appeasement of any sort..

Aaap se milakr bhi na mil paane mein jo sukh chuupa hai.. use koi anya kaise jaan sakata hai..
Addendum
( I find somewhere this compilation on my computer I hope you and others may just like it..
This post is not a part of Bachchan Sanfhya that I shall soon present a little later from now.. the second part is supposed to be dedicated to Dr. Bachchan embodied in your body for those few hours when he found his voice in you.. and the way r. Pushpa Bharati ji anchored the whole show.. I shall not disclose every thing here..

............ Quoted from past begins ........

हाथों में आने-आने में,हाय, फिसल जाता प्याला,
अधरों पर आने-आने मेंहाय, ढुलक जाती हाला,
दुनियावालो, आकर मेरीकिस्मत की ख़ूबी देखो,
रह-रह जाती है बस मुझकोमिलते-मिलते मधुशाला।।94।।

Tis just about to be grasped yet
Slips away this cup from hands
Tis wine just about to be clasped by lips
yet Rolls away too far away!

Oh my friends come have a look
What fate has scrabbled on my book!
Tis too close and yet too far away
Ever disappearing that tavern on the way!

This friends was a sort of not so literal yet somewhat lyrical transcription of how this particular verse could be anglicized for rest of the world. Its interpretation may or may not be too close to what I have paraphrased above. Time and again I remind myself of the great inadequacy that persists in a translational effort. What follows now is my understanding of the original verses.

Frankly speaking this computerized version is already showing some signs away from the one scribbled on the pad with pen! I do not desist away from such a path as long as I do not complicate the issues and make a mess of the work. The basic idea what Dr. Bachchan probably would have conceived in his mind is discussed here.

There are situations in life that reflect incompleteness and unexpectedness of an event – as if the cup slips away before eager hands could get hold of it! Or rather tumbling of the wine even before it could just embrace our lips!The poet then insists in spite of these fallacies and failures he invites his friends to have a close look at this desperate beauty of his deserving/ or undeserving fate. That he has missed a very near chance to have glance of the tavern on the way!

This again friends is more or less physical meaning what Dr. Bachchan has referred in these lines though he might actually be trying to philosophize the element of uncertainty and the unexpected from our perceived and preferred path and to be prepared for such eventualities. That many a times we are so very near to our target yet we miss it by a whisker, that we are so close on the verge of success yet somehow it deceives us in the most unexpected manner.
The Poet, I mean, I should say Dr. Bachchan is probably addressing the rest of us the populace on this earth to believe that his own story of dwindling fortunes and discomforting events could not be different for us human beings in any way. His near misses on finding his chosen path (Tavern) and to succed on it is like a mirage too near yet too far away!

Post Script:With this first interpretation of the thoughts of Dr. Bachchan in Madhushala - though actually the 94th verse of the poets poem I begin this journey to communicate with the rest of you. I wanted to take up something that I had not read in the train and I must add here that following sequence may never be important to me and you may find that before I complete all the verses I might have revisited a couple of them many times over! This particular couplet reminds us of uncertainty that we all must really respect.

I would also wish to make a point to the poet to forgive me if I ever fail and at times completely misunderstood his work or words and interpret them in not only a different manner but also in content and context. The beauty of a poetic work lies in its manifold manifestations and also strongly depends on the mood and mind of its reader at that particular point of time. The message could be seen and read differently as if there are not one or two but several messages hidden within. The same poetic work can have different meanings, be understood in different manners and different individuals could derive different messages at different times. I use this philosophy to defend my incapacity to treat the works of Dr. Bachchan as exactly as science would have loved it to be!
..... quoted from past - ends .......

Hopefully, I am able to provide enough of such couplets that could prove the Madhushala to be only as the tavern on the way! Here Madhushala symbolizes with uncertainty in life!…..This post was created on 2nd February 2009 some of the members of EF may have already read what I had said that day.. few things in life can always be repeated.. so I take this opportunity to share it with you all over again..

Love Afffection and Regards
is sure always on the cards…

Abhaya Sharma
November 30 2009 9:10 AM IST

Smaranika -

Dedicated to Hemant Krakare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar and Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan - The Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Chandrashekhar Azad of modern India I salute thee..

स्मरणिका

आज की ही रात की तो बात थी वह
दिल को दहलाने की कैसी रात थी वह
जब आखिरी लम्हा जिया था ज़िंदगी का
इस देश की खातिर किया बलिदान था

प्राण तुमने त्याग कर भी था दिखाया
पाठ एक था देशभक्ति का सिखाया
हार कर भी जीत होगी यह तुम्हारी
साल भर के बाद भी है याद आती

हे मेरे बंधु, सखा हे मित्रगण मेरे सुनो
करकरे की कामटे की बात सालस्कर की हो
जिक्र हो संदीप उन्नी की कथा न व्यर्थ हो
उनकी शहादत रंग लायेगी नया कुछ अर्थ हो ।

हम उन्हे करते नमन
है शीष झुकता है यह तन
नाज़ है तुम पर है कहता यह वतन
आज तुम को याद कर रोता है मन ।

अभय शर्मा
26 नवंबर 2009

Amitabh Nama - Day 582

Respected Brother
Sadar Charan Sparsh

I think I did want to write to you yesterday from home.. yet could not connect due to MTNL line not working for me.. it does not matter.. does it really..

Coming to your post of excessibe pain and just too much on your plate and being a mechanical toy.. I know one thing whatever you undertake.. in whatever role or capacity you give it your best shot.. err.. best effort to be more correct.. no wonder than that you excel where most others croak under pressure.. you excite us with such honest appeal.. I wish you continue forever in such excellence not only with your forthcoming films and TV ventures but in every sphere of life.. aap prerana ke aise shrot ho jo samay ke saath saath aur nikharta jaata hai.. aur bhi majbooti ke saath marg-darshan karata chalata hai.. ek atoot vishwaas ki bhanti hamaare vishwaas aur iraadon ko nai disha dene me aapse kabhi kahin koi chook nahi hoti..

आप वास्तव में महान है और इस बात का सच मानिए हमें भी बहुत अभिमान है.. आप के लिखे पत्र हमें कितना आनंद देते है इसका तो खुदा ही गवाह है.. जितनी खुशी आपसे मिली है शायद हमारी मोहब्बतें ही उसे बयां कर सकती हैं.. हम दो अनजाने लोगो की तरह नही बल्कि याराना दोस्ताना निभाते हुए एक दूसरे से मिलते हैं.. हमारे बीच कोई दीवार नही आ सकती..

आपके बेमिसाल व्यक्तित्व के लिए अगर कभी-कभी हम आपको शहेंशाह या मुक़द्दर का सिकंदर कहें तो इसका जुर्माना भरने के लिए कोई हमें मजबूर नही कर सकता.. इस प्यार की कहानी में परवाना बनकर शोले झेलने की शक्ति हमें उस त्रिशूल से मिली है जो गंगा की सौगंध खाने के बाद मिला था.. यह सिर्फ़ कसमे-वादे की ही नही संजोग की भी बात है..

एक नज़र देख लेने पर ही आप के अभिनय के हम सब कायल हो चुके हैं.. ब्लैक हो या white.. आप हिन्दी सिनेमा के Don हैं.. जिस शान से आप अभिनय के अग्निपथ को पार करते हो ऐसा लगता है कि जैसे किसी तीन पत्ती के एक ग्रेट गेम्बलर ने सत्ते पे सत्ता मारा हो.. दुनिया की किसी भी अदालत का कोई भी अंधा कानून हमें सिर्फ इसलिए गिरफ्तार नही कर सकता कि हाँ हमें आपसे मोहब्बत है..

यह सिलसिला इसी तरह चलता रहेगा, सरकार ना हम आप के विरुद्ध कुछ सुन सकते हैं न ही कभी सुनेंगे । कभी-कभी ज़िन्दगी में कभी खुशी तो कभी गम भी मिलता ही रहता है, फिर भी आपने जो अपना खून पसीना बहाया है कोई उसे हेरा-फेरी कहेगा तो यह एक सच्चे मर्द की मर्दानगी न होगी । वैसे दो और दो चार होते हैं फिर चाहे जोड़ने की बात हो या गुणा करने की पर अगर आप कहते है कि नही बेटा पांच होते है तो हमें आपकी बात से कैसे इंकार हो सकता , हो ही नही सकता, आखिर हम कौन है ।

यह हमारा अच्छा नसीब नही तो और क्या है.. एक कुली को भी आपसे उतना ही प्यार है जितना किसी जादूगर को उसके काले पत्थर से.. हमारी परवरिश तूफ़ान में हुई है बरसात की एक रात से हमें कैसा डर.. फिर जब राम बलराम का साथ हो तो क्यों न हम आज का अर्जुन बनकर गंजा जमुना सरस्वती के किनारों पर क्यों न अपने ऊंचे अलाप में सुर मिलाकर जाकर सबसे क्यों न कह दें कि- हाँ मैं आज़ाद हूँ..

चलिए मेरे फरार होने का वक्त भी आ पहुँचा है.. खाकी वर्दी वाले चारों तरफ़ चुपके-चुपके टहलकदमी कर रहें हैं.. कहीं ऐसा न हो बंसी बिरजू अपनी मंजिल पर पहुंचने से पहले ही बंटी बबली की तरह धर लिए जाएँ..

सात हिन्दुस्तानी के साथ हमारा और आपका जो एक रिश्ता शुरू हुआ ठा.. ४ दिसम्बर को पा के रिलीज़ होने पर यह एक अजूबा बनकर आपको दुनिया भर में निशब्द ही आपको अभिनय के सबसे ऊंचे पायदान पर बिठा देगा..

कोई मुझे बेशरम कहे या नमक हराम.. देव से इतनी ही प्रार्थना है कि आप किसी भी कसौटी पर मुझे नमक हलाल ही समझे.. आप सुन रहे हैं न मिस्टर नटवरलाल । देश प्रेमी होने की बात मैं नही करता पुकार कर यह भी नही कहता की हाँ मैं खुद्दार हूँ.. नही, नही, इससे पहले की मैं लिखना बंद करुं कालिया से यह कहना या बताना उचित ही रहेगा कि आपके अभिनय में वो नशा है कि एक शराबी भी ज़ंजीर तोड़ कर आपसे मिलाने दौड़ा चला आता है.. हां, एक बात बताना तो मै भूल ही गया था कि अब मैं लावारिस नही आप मेरे भाई समान जो हैं.. मेरा ज़मीर इस बात को कबूल करता है कि आप से एक रिश्ता तो कायम हो ही गया है ।

चीनी कम चाय शायद भूतनाथ को पसंद हो.. मेरी ऑंखें तो भारत के अमर-अकबर-एंथनी को साथ साथ देखने को लालायित हैं फिर उसके लिए मुझे बॉम्बे टू गोवा ही क्यों न जाना पड़े..अब तो हम आपकी फॅमिली में भी शामिल हो गए हैं.. आपके साथ किसी भी रण में जाने को तैयार हैं हम.. आप हमारे गुरू द्रोण है तथा हम उस एकलव्य के समान है जिसने शिक्षा पाकर दीक्षा में अपना अंगूठा ही गुरुदेव को समर्पित कर दिया था । आप जानते है कि अलादीन का जादुई चिराग अगर मुझसे कहे कि क्या हुकुम है मेरे आका - बस उससे यही कहना है कि किसी भी प्रकार का कष्ट कभी भी आपको विचलित न कर सके, सदैव ही आपके मन में शांति, समन्वयता तथा भाईचारे की भावनायें हमारे लिये एक नई दिशा प्रशस्त करती रहें । विशेष रूप से अगर आप मानवता को परमाणु बम के कुमार्ग से विस्थापित कर सकें तब इससे बढ कर कोई अन्य वरदान मै नही चाहता ।

कभी अलविदा न कहना..

अभय शर्मा

Om Puri on AB's mind..

Respected Brother
Sadar Charan Sparsh

Oh! first and foremost.. great post for the cause of an actor that is Om Puri of Hindi Cinema.. a man who was probably born with a wooden spoon.. if we were to believe his contemporary great Naseeruddin Shah a few years ago..

I personally have not only met Om Puri Sahab at Tata Theatre I have travelled in his blue fiat from NCPA to Churchgate signal on marine drive.. that was during the staging of Bichchhu by him.. a great actor.. I don't know if he would ever remember this.. I had been humming the tune of my then recently created Vigyaan Ki Pooja hogi.. I do not know if he would have picked that poem.. I never uttered the words loud enough lest his driving could have got affected.. I did have another very short meeting with him.. when my cousin Shailendra was in city and we had gone to Film City where Om sir was on some sets.. Oh! he is such a great actor that if I were to choose between him and Naseeruddin Shah for the most successful actor of our then parallel cinema it would have to be him despite the fact that Naseeruddin Shah has done far greater number of movies than Om Puri.. no, o, it has nothing to do with the scuffle with the latter in the green rooms in my bid to seek promotion of science through theatre.. he did went on to do a science oriented program on Television..

Coming back to some of the requests from Manish in particular.. Manish you would have noticed that I find it extremely difficult for me to not to write here.. despite sincere efforts and solid reasons I have always found myself to be here.. it can not simply be for the love to the head of the family.. it is the love for the EF in its entirety..
and the golden news that follows in the end should fill many of you with unexpected joy.. yeap.. it is the most heartening to have received a call from none other than Amitabh Ziibbu.. he had called up and chatted in a manner as if nothing had ever happened between us.. I am glad for him.. for him finding opportunity to speak to me.. to clear the atmosphere which had got me suffocating for want of oxyegen here.. I am glad that he is well and is in Mumbai.. I have requested him to keep in touch.. few things in life can not be taken for granted.. I have nothing against him.. I had never anything against him.. yet all that has been left behind and I find a great younger brother in him.. who is ready to live in present an is already keen to bury the past and let bygones be bygones.. it is a very welcome step from him.. I wish him very best in life.. God willing.. I might just get a chance to meet him as well.. hopefully at Bhavan's program.. if he is able to find a way to take me to the birth anniversary celebrations of Dr. Bachchan..

Brother, I might have told him that it does not matter if it was the last row.. it did not matter if I could not seek your blessings in person.. it matters a great deal if I could be part of any celebrations concerning Dr. Bachchan.. yet if a meeting with you is also on the cards I would not step backward.. err. I would step forward.. bend a bit and extend both my hands to touch your feet.. both in the sense one for you the other for Dr. Bachchan.. after all the blood that flows in your veins originates from the celestial poet.. I know such a possibility may not exist.. it does not matter.. it really does not matter.. having conveyed what I had in mind gives me a great satisfaction.. as if the event has already taken place in mind..

My due regards and love to everyone.. every time I take names of the people I do miss on certain important members of the EF.. you see.. I have grown past 50 and that is not a alibi so to say.. it is a fact.. My sincere thanks to all those who remember and read what I have to say.. They are all responsible in a collective snese for my reappearance after every disappearing act.. thanks a lot..

Love
Abhaya Sharma
Post Script : India has won the toss and elected to bat.. Sree and Ojha make it to the eleven at the cost of Ishant and Mishra.. it is all right.. I felt India could have played three spinners here.. it does not matter.. if they have to save themselves blues they probably could nt do away with the extra batsman.. a result here seems unlikely yet the contest may be much more interesting than it was at Motera.. Green Park was the debut ground for Sir Gundappa Viswanath.. and today Pragyaan makes his debut as a bowler.. I love his abilities.. he should experiment little more than he does in the shorter versions.. See I am already commenting on the Test cricket despite my great shouts about its closure.. life could not be more contradictory.. could it be..

AB Day 578 (i)

Respected Brother
Sadar Pranaam

Today I share a link to couple of webpages that had been created by me at the actual birth centenary of Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan..

http://www.angelfire.com/ab/abhayasharma/htmldocs/harivanshrai1.htm
and
http://www.angelfire.com/ab/abhayasharma/htmldocs/Dr_bachchan_links.htm

The links to Amitabh recites Dr. Bachchan do not work.. these were part of my huge website abhayasharma.net which does not work anymore.. and whatever little I could accomodate on angelfire free site is made available there..

May I after a long gap say sincere thanks to some of the fellow EFs who had helped him hold my ground when I was in distress.. When I was in some sort of apprehensions about some vague possibilities for writing whatever I had been writing here..

I know it would be impossible for me to recount everyone.. yet I remember once in a while you too started off the blog with some words that should help me come out of what I hought I was into..

Here I must first say special thanks to Kashmira Di.. My dost did heard me for more than half an hour and helped with the best possible words.. the words that only a true sister could use for his real brother.. are we related then Didi and not mere Dost..

Dr. Aishwarya, Sanjith, Shankar, Sis Rose, Syed Kabeeruddin and Tumpa bon did their bit as many others on the facebook..

And I can not forget the kind of love that was made available to Amrit on his birthday on 16th November.. Archana, Zainab, Sanjith, Jasmine, Aishwarya, Carla, Reeham, Ravi Sir, Shankar, Manoj Kumar OjOj and many many others.. Thanks on behalf of Amrit..

And you all know that I am already 50 year old.. if I have missed the names it is more because of my failing memory.. Yeh yaddaasht se hi to maar khaa gaya hindustaan..

I also tell you that I have created a musical blog for Sir Manoj (Bharat) Kumar and some of you may like the efforts.. I know when everything is available on tube why waste time.. That was my way of showing my affection to the great Cinema personality..
http://abhayamanoj.blogspot.com/

Love
Abhaya Sharma

AB Day 576

Respected Brother

Sadar Charan Sparsh

Here is a link to my article on first test.. I had decided not to write on test cricket.. yet I did.. I fear India is about to loose its first Test match to Sri Lanka in the coming two days.. Sachin has to play one of his special innings if at all we could save ourselves..

The link

http://abhayaipl2.blogspot.com/2009/11/first-test-loss-to-sri-lanka-is.html
Love and good luck to team India ( I know they have been cornered by that glorious double hundred from Mahela and a collective good show by Lankans..)

Abhaya SharmaNovember 19 2009

Post Script Today Indiraji would have been 92.. even if I do not like her so much.. she was the best International leader that India produced with all her shortcomings and slapping on of the Emergency rule.. Indira was really India during her first term in the office of the prime minister.. She scores much above AB Vajpayee who comes a distant second on post-Nehru India..

Amitabh Bachchan - Day 575

आदरणीय भाईसाहब
सादर चरण स्पर्श

सोचा तो यह था कि कम लिखूंगा या नही ही लिखूंगा पर हर कोशिश करके हार गया । मन कहता है आप से कैसा बैर लिखता चल है इसी में तेरी खैर । चलिये आपने कविताई की राह पर चल कर मुझे एक बहाना ही थमा दिया है मुझे भी कुछ कहने के लिये । आपकी पंक्तियों के आधार पर प्रस्तुत है आपकी ही पंक्तिया -

बहुत कुछ है करने को
समय बहुत कम है लेकिन
करने को इतना कुछ है
समय कहां मिलता लेकिन
जीवन चलता जाता है
अपने ढर्रे पर चुन पलछिन
हम सोच में डूबे देर तलक
भरसक कोशिश करते हर दिन
क्या है जमा किया हमने
क्या मोल दिया हमने गिन-गिन

- अमिताभ बच्चन
(अनुवाद ः अभय शर्मा )

जीवन की आपाधापी में
कब बक्त मिला
कुछ देर कहीं पर बैठ
कभी यह सोच सकूं ...

भाईसाहब एक प्रयास मेरी तरफ़ से अवश्य होगा कि भारतीय विद्या भवन के प्रांगण में बच्चन संध्या के अवसर पर प्रस्तुत हो सकूं, आपसे मिलने की इच्छा इतनी बलबती नही जितनी परम पूज्य कविवर बच्चन के जीवन की एक झलक पाने की ललक मेरे भीतर बसी हुइ है । उनके जीते जी न सही उनके जीवन से कुछ एक फूल चुनने का जो अवसर 28 नबंवर को प्राप्त हो सकता है उसे गंवा देना निरी मूर्खता होगी, प्रभु से प्रार्थना है कि मुझे निराश न करें । आपसे किसी प्रकार की गुजारिश या किसी भी किस्म की सहायता न मैं कर रहा हूं ना ही किसी अपेक्षा की प्रतीक्षा है । कविवर के कलम से जितने भी हीरे-मोती- माणिक पन्ने हमें मिलें है उनका कोई मोल नही लगाया जा सकता वे अनमोल हैं ।

आपका एक अनुज
अभय शर्मा

Cricket and Cinema beat Chemistry & Computers

Respected Brother
Sadar Charan Sparsh

Somewhere along the line Cricket and Cinema took over from Chemistry and Computers in my life. If it was Kapil Dev who impressed me more than organic chemistry it was Amitabh Bachchan who proved far more important to me than Oracle.

It would only be half of the story if I do not say that my beginning with cricket as a game and fascination for Cinema started at the same time when we were in Port Blair.


I was aware of Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath’s cricketing abilities especially the 774 runs by Sunil Gavaskar iin his debut series against the then top cricketing team of the World in West Indies. I might be not wrong that my interest in Cinema also took its root with Anand starring Rajesh Khanna yet I admit here that it was Amitabh Bachchan who impressed me more than the super star. I had not known that it was a beginning of events that I would be associated with cricket like no other game and with Mr. Bachchan like no other idol in my life.

I wrote a great deal about cricket. I really relish that when Kapil’s devils won the world cup beating West Indies in 1983 Prudential world cup of cricket in 1983 I was as happy as having watched Amitabh Bachchan performing in say Deewaar or Sholay.

It would be an incomplete story if I do not say that I had a great moment in life when I had an unexpected entry into the pavilion of Delhi’s Firozesahah Kotla in the year 1980 where the Indian team had assembled before their Australia tour. I had not only got the autographs of Kapil Dev I had also interacted with Gundappa Viswanath among others in the dressing room. It is bit ironic that I had made some predictions and one amongst them was while looking at the palm of the greatest Indian batsman (if records are kept aside for a while) Sir Gundappa Rangappa Viswanath. I saw he had a dark deep heart line. I know I must have bemused him when I asked him to not to take too much of alcohol as he had tendency for a weak heart. I know he would remember this for sure as Yashpal and others looked staringly at me making those predictions. I had asked my friend Tilak Raj who was that tall lanky fellow bowling on the wicket and I was told that it was Ravi Shastri. I don’t know if I had told him that he would go really far in cricket yet I remember that I did predict for Tilak raj that he would feature in record books someday. It is well known fact now that Ravi Shastri had belted Tilak Raj for six sixes in an over while he represented Baroda. Kapil Dev had plainly refused for the second autograph saying he had already given him one.. when I said it is for my friend Malini he said let her come and ask for it.. She was a great fan of Imran Khan and Kapil Dev.

The story would be far from over if I do not say here that it was during the eight years in Delhi that my interest in cricket and Cinema took a firm grounding. I had come to like Amitabh Bachchan like no other actor of Hindi Cinema. There would only be English movies besides Amitabh starrers that I saw for nearly five years of my college life. A fact to show and express my attachment to Amitabh Bachchan. I probably might have missed some of the great movies during that period but I had satisfaction of seeing the best. Amitabh Bachchan acted like the best in he world during those seven eight years of his career. I would not fail to watch or hear any cricket game, read about it in the newspapers and deftly discuss with friends in the college the next day or even during the match. The advent of Kapil Dev as the real all-rounder had raised my interest in the game to greater heights.. India was not winning much yet we knew that Kapil could spring a surprise for the best batsman in the world. I for some reasons liked him more for his batting display especially the hook shot which he played almost in a Nataraj mudra and played it to the perfection. Oops there were few things a pace bowler could do than merely applause his efforts. I wish Kapil had concentrated on his batting in his last few years of cricket we could have had more fun and he some more runs against his name. yet how many bowlers in the world would have 7 test hundreds against their name. I rate Kapil ahead of Ian Botham, Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee as he was much superior fielder compared to the rest. Thus he was the most complete all-rounder the world ever witnessed.

Amitabh Bachchan was dear to me for another reason- being the son of Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan – the Hindi poet of extraordinary caliber who composed Madhushala before he was even thirty. I think if I have not been able to meet you brother is not such important to me anymore – I could never meet Dr. Bachchan for your celebrity status not even at the time of his death on that fateful 18th January. It is all right. Few things in life are destined and if I could not meet Sunil Gavaskar the other day when I had an opportunity to meet him in Delhi my respect for him did not reduce one bit only he had come a close second to Kapil Dev on my list of important cricketers.

Sachin Tendulkar is much younger t me.. I am proud of the fact that he would always be considered the greatest batsman in the world.. I may not have much following of his cricket yet I would not mince any words that some of his knocks were a real treat to watch. He could bat as well against the Mcgrath as against Shane Warne. I think I have lot of respect for him despite the fact that I did write a couple of times that he has overplayed for India. It is all right. I now wish that he continues to play cricket for India as long as he himself wants to. And Yes he could be an important player in T20 too. People have come to say that T20 requires ruthless shot playing.. it may be true to an extent alone.. we all know it does require one to know the batting well and perfect shot selection alongside pacing of one’s innings. I am sure no one is better than Sachin when he is in full flow.

Only a day before I had written an article where I had requested what changes India needs in its cricket to get better results.. one of the facts described there is giving the mantle of captaincy to Sachin Tendulakr.. even if he himself does not like it.. he has to be thrusted with that honour once again.. leading one’s country is the biggest pride.. and I feel that Sachin can work wonders with the present available talent with his deep knowledge and experience of the game of cricket.. Don’t turn down the request Sachin that is my only request…

Love Affection and Pyaar
Abhaya Sharma

November 13 2009 10:oo AM IST

Post Script: This article was written after the 60 years function of the two little masters of the game Sir Sunil Manohar Gavasakr and Sir Gundappa Rangappa Viswanath.. May I add here that the two may be attributed with Padma Vibhushan if they have not already been awarded with that award..

List of my all time top 10 favourite cricketers and top 10 Amitabh movies (together to save space and time and to see which cricketer gets which movie tagged against his name) –
1. Kapil Dev Nikhanj 1. Deewar
2. Sachin Ramesh Tendulakr 2. Sholay
3. Gundappa Rangapaa Vishwanath 3. Anand
4. Sunil Manohar Gavasakr 4. Abhimaan
5. Sourav Ganguly 5. Black
6. Virender Sehwag 6. Kala Patthar
7. Bhagawat S. Chandrasekhar 7. Trishul
8. Mohinder Amarnath 8. Kabhi-Kabhie
9. Ravi Jayadrith Shastri 9. Mohabbatein
10. Farookh Engineer 10. Amar Akbar Anthony

With this listing my post comes to an end. I know I have not een able to contribute to brothers blog recently it does not mean that My love and respect for him has diminished even a fraction of an inch. The list might have missed some of the great cricketers and also some of the great movies by brother. These were impulsive and I know I have been best when in an impulsive mode..

Some changes were forced in the cricketers list as I had missed out Sunil Manohar Gavaskar inadvertnetly in the intial list .. after a rethinking Shastri was brought down in place of Ganguly as Dada did a great deal to promote the game in the country..

Kabhi khud pe kabhi halaat pe rona aaya..

a

संसार है एक नदिया - रफ़्तार

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd6zaoxWe6M

Please console Amitabh Ziibbu

Respected Brother
Sadar Charan Sparsh

It is with a very heavy heart that I request you something out of the way.. There has been some misunderstanding between me and Amitabh Ziibbu..

Could I just request you to convey it to him that Abhaya Sharma has absolutely nothing aginst him on any matter.. and that I promise to him that I shall not write here again..

If my writing here has put him in the slightest distress he should forget and forgive me.. I love and respect him.. I never had any wrong intention towards him.. He should remove any such feelings from his mind at the earliest..

I know a nice word to him from you shall bring some joy to him and probably a relief to me that I am not after his peace of mind..

Do I thus make a simple request to you to cheer him up by whatever means and convince him that I consider and love him as a younger brother and shall not in anyway bring displeasure to him in life..

I definitely take leave of the blog now.. for good.. it is not out of disrespect to you but to convince my young friend AZ to not think negatively about what I write here..
Amitabh Bachchan to me will always remain an elder brother irrespective of the fact of my writing or not writing here again..

Please do the needful.. I am really at loss of words to make myself more clear to him in any other possible manner.. a word from you shall hopefully put Amitabh Ziibbu in good spirits..

Thanking you in anticipation

With Never ending love and respect
Abhaya Sharma
November 10 2009 12:43 PM IST

Post Scrpt : I would be highly thankful if you could really speak to him and clear his doubts about the whole episode..

Amitabh Bachchan Day 563

आदरणीय भाईसाहब
सादर चरण स्पर्श
When the heart takes over the mind.
When a rush of emotion penetrates the being.
When a warmth pervades the flush on our skin.
When dew shaped invisible capsules begin to swell under the eyes.
When the hair tingles upon the arms and wrists.
When words fail to form.
Then can we safely say that we have been overtaken by emotion.

जब दिल दिमाग पर हावी हो
और मन में भावनायें बहती हो
जब बदन को कुछ, गर्माहट सी छू जाती हो
और शबनम सी बूंदें, आंखो के नीचे जमती दिखती हो
जब रोयें बांहो के कलाई के सर के बल खड़े दिखाई दे
और शब्द नही कुछ बन पायें (और न ही कुछ वे कह पायें)
कहना मुश्किल न होगा तब, भावुकता ने धरा दबोचा है ।

सप्रेम
अभय शर्मा
पुनश्चः कश्मीरा दी, रवि मल्होत्रा, सुधीर, सिस रोज़, किशोर भट्ट, प्रीति के, ऎश्वर्या तथा टम्पा घोष इत्यादि सभी की यही राय है कि मै यहां लिखता रहूं मै भी चाहता हूं कि अगर मै गलत नही हूं तब यहां नही लिखने का क्या औचित्य हो सकता है ।

मन के हारे हार है मन के जीते जीत । या अगर यही बात डॉक्टर बच्चन की जुबानी कहनी हो –
मन का हो तो अच्छा है
मन का न हो तो और भी अच्छा है ।

The Success and Failure of a Film

… I generally find myself away from all these encumbrances. Simply because I am an artist, hired to play act in certain given circumstances. Loading me with all other avenues in production has never been exciting for me and does push me to be aloof. At times we bear the wrath of non involvement. But that we all know is unfair.

Yo Brother!

That is exactly we know about you very well! You are an artist par excellence.. you were an artist of the same nature in films like Deewar and Jaadugar.. yet we know the fate of each one.. diametrically opposite.. No, no, I am not here to raise my doubts.. I just want to reassure you that you were as good as the Amitabh Bachchan in Namak Halaal as in Aladin.. yet we have to accept the exceptions and value the expectations of the junta.. They expect every film to be as big as Sholay.. They expect very character portrayed by you as gigantic as of Jai or that of many Vijays.. that is not humanly possible..

Not possible.. did I say.. Yes I did.. every producer and director when he makes a film with you as the central character does not mean or wish that his film does not do well.. but then if the success of a film depends on your presence in it.. and it does not do well for reasons beyond your control.. the one who has invested the huge amounts is definite to feel defeated in hiring you..

At times.. some of the good films are not able to garner as much business as one should expect from them.. Let me tell you that I have not seen Alaap.. but being an Amitabh film.. being a Hrishi da film.. it probably did not do as good as some of us would have believed.. Another film that I personally rate very high was Main Azaad Hoon.. it was an honest film.. it hada good plot.. its storyline moved in a great smooth flow.. it also had atleast a couple of good numbers.. it had one of the finest actor opposite you in Shabana Azmi.. even the Anu Kapoor was beyond his own capabilities as an actor.. yet I think you would not disagree with me that the film was not such a great success if it could be called successful in the first place..

I shall not site the examples of the movies which were not as good as I thought but did tremendous business.. one such movie is DDLJ.. I think it did well just for the fact that it had the best couple( of the time) and some good songs in it that did not appear thrusted on to the audience.. even if they did they were highly melodious.. and yes the acting capabilities of both SRK and Kajol did pull it up to take it to the top of charts yet it can not and should never be compared with Sholay..

In the hindsight.. I would not mind if Aladin still makes good business.. I may not have liked the film as much as some others.. I am no yardstick to measure the success or failure of a film.. and yes I am a fifty year old who does not understand what the youth of today may really be interested about.. so please do not feel gloomy because of What I wrote honestly about Aladin.. I shall only add here that Paa.. could be different for me.. as a matter of fact.. I actually do not like the promos to be shown in great detail.. what is true for me is to see the film knowing nothing about it in advance. I want every moment to be fresh to me.. that should not mean that you do not put across the promo for us.. some of us probably want to know everything about the movie before they see it.. I am not falling in that class and I would not see the promo here even if you put it.. why.. as I do not want t know what the PAA contains.. till I actually see it in the theatre..

Now you must relax and not take all the blame upon you.. who the news channel were meaning.. when they said someone has threatened you.. Is it the same guy who had problems with your going to mandir and masjid.. IGNORE HIM...

Love Hundreds and Thousands Times plus one more time...
Abhaya Sharma
Sat Sri akal (And Happy Guru Parab! I missed that a couple of days ago to wish you and the rest!, Sorry folks!!). Guru Nanak Sahab is very dear to me even if I know nothing about him.. I know he was in the same league as the Kabir sahib.. and I love him for just that alone.. I particularly loved the ardaas in Silsila..

Addendum - A post that too did not see the light with moderators -

http://abhayaamitabh.blogspot.com/
This brother is the link of my today's write-up if for some reasons the moderators do not find my views worthy of being put on the blog.. I mean good of you.. always.. and I do not have to be rewarded for the way I feel about you.. my reward is knowing you here on the blog.. my reward is to be able to write here for n number of times.. my reward has been the fact that you have atleast at times read and probably also appreciated my thinking.. mujhe aur kya chahiye.. kuchh bhi nahi..

I think Mumbai having a city anthem involving you in it should really make Raj Bhau a happy soul.. I know Mumbai is a great city as great as Kolkata or Delhi could be..

Mumbai to aakhir Mumbai hai
Mumbai hamaari jaan hai

is desh ko bhi abhimaan hai

Mumbai bharat ki shaan hai

Mumbai Sapanon ki khaan hai

Yeh Mumbai nahi anjaan hai..

Love the fact that I consider myself a Mumbaikar besides being an Indian..
Abhaya Sharma