MUMBAI: Ram Gopal Varma’s tweet using the choicest Hindi abuses to describe his admiration for Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap has left the star characteristically unaffected.
Says the Big B stoically, “I haven’t read it. But I am sure the intention couldn’t be malicious. Sometimes in life the exuberance of verbosity can be most endearing. Personally I don’t use bad language in person or while playing a character.”
With Delhi Belly ushering in a new age of abusive language into Indian cinema and the Censor Board, one actor who refuses to use abusive language is the senior Bachchan. “There was such language in Bbuddah but I made it very clear to my director that I won’t say those words and lines. I don’t use abusive language in real life. I won’t do it on screen either. It was Puri’s idea to use the word ‘beep’ each time an abusive term was required,” Bachchan tells Businessofcinema.com.
About the volley of profanities in Delhi Belly, Bachchan is nonchalant. “To each his own. The film is produced by a friend – Aamir Khan and I wouldn’t like to comment on it. If the Censor Board has seen the language to be worthy of public consumption then there is no question of questioning the language. But like I said, I’d never do it. I’d never use objectionable language or kiss on screen.”
About his only screen kiss, Bachchan says, “I did kiss Rani Mukherji in Black but you can hardly call that a conventional romantic kiss. It was a very dark dramatic and poignant moment. But beyond that, sorry, no kissing or cursing for me.”
Box office figures of Bbuddah have been pointed out to be less impressive than its competition Delhi Belly.
Bachchan turns characteristically self-effacing at this comparative questioning. “We’ve made a small film… our budget is far smaller, Rs 17 crores in total. The other film is far bigger in terms of the financial stakes and it has a far bigger star involved with the production. We’re a very small production company in comparison.”