Amitabh is a legendry actor because he does not act

Funny things happen…In the recent past, during a film award function, Rekha in her everlasting glory was seen sequentially hugging and pecking…Shah Rukh, Abhishek Bachchan, then his wife Aishwarya Bachchan…and then…the man next stood up and just walked away. He did not want to be embarrassed by Rekha’s teaser. He was none other than Amitabh Bachchan. Like many TV viewers, JoH also reacted with “Oh Sh..*%&#”. It instantly brought back images of their chemistry (JoH is only referring to on-screen) which till date remains unmatched…

Talking of Amitabh, JoH often hears comparisons between this living legend and Shah Rukh Khan. In the media, he sees comparative descriptions like … Sahenshah for Amitabh and King Khan for Shah Rukh. While much debate and media space has been wasted on this, there are still non-comparable differences between the two. First, Shah Rukh began when Amitabh had virtually taken an off. Second, their appeals are different; while Shah Rukh’s appeal primarily excites young girls and young ladies, Amitabh at his peak swooped everybody off their feet and of course difference lies in their respective personalities.

Shah Rukh came to prominence with a TV serial and subsequently got his break in movies. His onscreen acting impressions begin with “K..k..k..Kiran” and goes on to what seemed like desperate attempts of portraying a “Devdas or a Don.” When he appears on TV screens during a paid appearance or during IPL season…JoH often wonders “Oh this is the guy who was trying to act a particular character on-screen?” With all due regards and respects to Shah Rukh’s sincere efforts and his commercial success, one can clearly say, when he is trying to act and when he is his normal self. To many this is the way for an actor…

On the other hand, watching Amitabh on TV during IIFA or his interactions with journalists, JoH can’t differentiate between Amitabh, the actor and Amitabh, the natural person. That is the greatness of a living legend…he moulds naturally into the onscreen character he portrays. This is because on-screen Amitabh does not act. He only behaves his natural self in the character that he portrays on-screen. JoH remembers one interview of Amitabh in which he had said that “…for acting I have visualized my father’s death so many times, that in real life I don’t know how I will react when he actually dies…” A candid confession of a great actor…

Rekha-Amitabh’s on-screen pair has become legendary because the two never seemed to act with each other. They only looked their natural self in whatever character they portrayed together on-screen…especially that of lovers. Therefore, imaginations continue…