Kuwait welcomed an unassuming celebrity, armed with the most disarming smile – on his maiden trip to this land, on Wednesday, 29 April. Invited by the Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group, Abhishek Bachchan visited Kuwait to inaugurate an OMEGA Boutique at the 360 Mall.
The trio, that is—Omega as a Brand, the MYB Group and Abhishek Bachchan apparently have quite a bit in common… Their coming together seems but obvious and natural, for all the three boast of a heritage which is rich and exquisite; and possess elegance, infinite. The heritage and lineage of the M. Y. Behbehani Group is illustrious, as is of Abhishek Bachchan and the century-and-a-half old Omega Watches. The Swiss luxury watch-makers are synonymous with style and a consistent performance-par-excellence, and so are Abhishek Bachchan and the M. Y. Behbehani Group in Kuwait. Not surprising therefore, that this prestigious Brand chose this illustrious star as its Brand Ambassador nearly a decade ago, and the association continues till date…
Abhishek Bachchan, despite the packed schedule of appointments, chose to spend time exclusively with the IndiansinKuwait.com(IIK), and engaged in a one-to-one chat with Dr. Navniit Gandhi.
The excerpts from the conversation are:
Dr. Navniit Gandhi: Welcome to Kuwait!!! Heartfelt greetings to you from the Indian community here… Is this your first visit to Kuwait?
Abhishek Bachchan: Yes, it is my first-ever visit to Kuwait…
NG: What took you so long? With years of stardom with you, how is it that you never visited us?
Abhishek Bachchan: (laughs…) Yes, it took too long to make my first visit… But I can guarantee that it won’t be my last…
NG: Am sure that many of us wonder when we look at you on the screen, that what is the real Abhishek Bachchan like? What is your authentic and real self like?
Abhishek Bachchan: Well, this is a question which, if I could answer, I would be a fantastic actor because actors are always trying to figure out who they really are. We enact so many characters, that somewhere we lose ourselves in our work; we tend to lose touch with who we really are. And somewhere, actors also aren’t very comfortable knowing who they actually might be. They prefer hiding behind the façade of the characters they play. Hence, this is a question, no actor may successfully be able to answer.
NG: True, but we do tend to wonder…
Abhishek Bachchan: I am just a normal person, who loves doing normal things… (smiles…)There is nothing madly eccentric about me. I am a family man. Whatever I do, I do for my family; it means the world to me. I love doing my job and I deeply appreciate the fact that when I wake up in the morning, I go and live my dream.
NG: In the families that we belong to, all of us play several roles. And so must you be… Which role in real life has been most gratifying?
Abhishek Bachchan: Well, obviously since it is new to me, I would say that playing the role of a father is what I am currently enjoying the most. Aaradhya is the centre of everybody’s universe at home and this role, by far is the most gratifying. Being a son has been fantastic in terms of the love that I have received. Being a husband is a matter of pride for me. Being a brother is something I am proud of… But, being a father has also been very gratifying.
NG: You inherited a lot of fame, and then you went on to acquire a lot of fame. What did you find more meaning in?
Abhishek Bachchan: Honestly, I think no one can inherit fame. This is a harsh reality. I wish it was possible but no one can actually inherit fame… People will not go to watch your film because you are a famous person’s son. Maybe they will go for your first film or first show because they are curious to see you and that’s it. The great Director Yash Chopra once told me something when my first film was about to be released, and it has stayed with me. He said: ‘Remember beta… people will go to see your first film and its first show because of your father… But, for the second show, they will or will not go only because of you.’
Therefore, one has to work hard; we cannot rest on our laurels. And if your heart is in the correct place and your intentions are correct, you will achieve your own share of fame.
NG: What I meant is that you were born to famous parents, and then you also went on to acquire your own share of fame…
Abhishek Bachchan: My personal opinion is that I pale in comparison to my parents. I am what I am because of my parents. I do what I do for my family. It is their approval that means the most to me, and especially so, of my parents—not just as a son, but also as an actor. For me, they are the ultimate in my skill-set and in my field.
NG: Speaking of reel life, playing which role or enacting which character has meant a lot to you?
Abhishek Bachchan: They all do… because if they hadn’t meant anything, I wouldn’t have done those roles. For me doing justice with a role is crucial and justice for me is allowing myself to be consumed by that role entirely. This is possible if the role is one in which I believe entirely; it has to be something that I am challenged by. Hence, if I am not convinced by the portrayal of the character and if it doesn’t mean anything to me, then there is no point in doing that role.
NG: Is the challenge greater while enacting a character that resembles your real self or one which is completely distant or contrary to you?
Abhishek Bachchan: Well, I have traditionally leaned towards choosing characters that I have no semblance with. That makes it more interesting… If I play myself in my films, not only me but my audience will get bored!!! I believe in doing roles that are not expected from me. Therein lies the challenge…
NG: What do we look forward to from you, professionally?
Abhishek Bachchan: I have just completed a film titled: All is Well, which is going to be released on 21st August, this year. It is directed by a wonderful new Director- Umesh Shukla. It’s a wonderful family drama, with Rishi Kapoor and me in it. And, I have just started filming a new one, titled: Hera-Pheri, which may be completed by the end of the year.
NG: Let us move on to the reason that brings you to Kuwait… What is your criterion when you choose to endorse a Brand?
Abhishek Bachchan: I am very selective when it comes to endorsements. I am not an actor who promotes too many products because I think that it then depletes what you stand for. For me, it is very important to know what a Brand stands for; what is its value-set?
NG: Why did you choose to endorse Omega?
Abhishek Bachchan: It has been a matter of much pride for me to be associated with Omega. We have been associated for almost ten years, now. It is one of the best companies I have ever worked with, apart from the fact that they make fantastic watches. Their value-system is wonderful; they believe in giving back to the society. They have numerous Environmental programs. Their support to the Orbis program is something which is very close to my heart. It is an air-ambulance service for eye operations, and it was founded in 1982. They fly all around the world- 365 days a year and organize voluntary eye-camps and carry out eye operations, particularly on children needing them. It is not a company which just thinks that ‘we are making cool watches… let us sell them. They are and they do something much more than that…
NG: And, how did this association happen?
Abhishek Bachchan: I think it was a natural progression. It was more than a decade ago that they had awarded me in a program and somehow,the association took off eventually. This company does not chase actors on the basis of their box-office rankings or value. It took them time to understand me and my activities. For them, culture, lineage and class-- such things matter the most. It is not just another commercial deal for them. And, it isn’t for me either. It is not about just doing business; it is about standing for some values. So, quite a bit of due diligence happened on both sides before this association happened.
Omega is not a company I work for; it is family for me. It is very important for to believe in a product that I am endorsing. I wear Omega myself, though I could have worn other watches, for reasons of style or creativity. But, I choose not to…
NG: Have you also ever interacted with the end-users of Omega; with people who wear the watch? Have they shared their experiences with you?
Abhishek Bachchan: Yes, I have interacted with many Omega users and I find that a lot of Omega wearers know a lot about the mechanics behind the watch, and this is important when one is passionate about watches. The Omega users are even aware of the innovations that Omega has pioneered. They know they have the best possible timepiece in the marker and that it sets them apart too. And it is heartening for the watch-makers as well, to know that all the hard-work they put in is not going unrecognized.
NG: We- the indiansinkuwait.com (IIK) are one of the largest-read web portals amongst the 8 lakh-plus Indian community here. Would you like to say something to our Indian community?
Abhishek Bachchan: Yes, I would like to say two very important words: Thank You!!! This is something we never get to say; a thank-you for all the love, all the belief and all the inspiration to go on… Our audiences make us who we are and we, as actors, sometimes never get the opportunity to thank our viewers enough. You mean the world to us…
Dr. Navniit Gandhi: Thank You for thanking us… And we also ‘Thank’ you for all the hard work that all of you put in, so that we can go to theatres and smile and have a good entertaining time.
We wish you the very best in all that you do in your life…