When Big B came to school!

When we were in primary school, one day, there was a sudden commotion. The air was abuzz that a film shooting troupe had come to school! News traveled like wild fire - Amitabh Bachchan, Big B himself, was in the campus. The students were excited, and so were the teachers. Classes were suspended for the day. The school church was the location of the shooting. Students milled around the church, trying to get a glimpse of the star, only to be sent back. We could watch, but from a distance.

It was tough to catch the details through that enormous crowd. All sorts of equipment was lugged around- cameras, photo-reflectors and umbrellas. Faintly, we caught the outline of a man in a light blue safari suit who soon melted into the crowd. Someone said that was Amitabh Bachchan. From that distance, it could have been anyone. But everyone was sure- it was Big B and we had seen him! Later in the day, students made tall, unverifiable claims. Some insisted they shook hands with Big B himself. It was difficult to sift fact from fiction!

In a year’s time, the movie “Amar Akbar Anthony” was released. It was a blockbuster and one of Amitabh’s biggest hits. And sure enough, in a song sequence, our school church formed the backdrop. There was now no doubt. Big B had indeed come to school. Each time the song featured on TV, the joy could not be contained; it was where we hung around each day- the same steps, the same pulpit, the same stained-glass windows! “Yes, we all know it is your school!” my sister snapped, with palpable irritation.

Years later, I went to Roorkee to study. In those pre-internet days, Roorkee was as though in a cocoon- an educational town, far away from the big, bad world. To those simple folks who manned the college mess and the canteen, it was a novelty that someone should come from distant Bombay. “Have you seen film stars in Bombay?” Guptaji, the canteen owner asked one day. A negative reply would have quashed the hopeful look in his eyes. “Yes, we keep seeing them! You may recall the movie Amar Akbar Anthony.” Guptaji’s eyes lit up. “Of course! Who does not know that film?” Nonchalantly, I continued, “To shoot that film, Amitabh had come to my school!” By then, Guptaji had alerted his attendants. “Did you hear that? Amitji had come to his school!” One thing led to another and soon, it was as if, I was close enough to play a game of marbles with Amitji!

From then on, the four years in Roorkee were easy for me. Guptaji hung on my lips. I was the conduit between him and Amitji. And for retelling the same tale about my school and Amar Akbar Anthony, there was ample compensation- multiple servings of gulab-jamun and plates of hot samosas! Who can complain now?

Someday, if I meet Big B, I owe him a big thanks. His larger than life image has such an arresting appeal on the masses that some of that star dust rubs off on the likes of us too! Such is tinsel-town’s fascination! And as far as primary school is concerned, who can forget those days? Even now, when someone asks, “What is your name?” the second-grader in me surfaces! There is an irresistible urge to rise to my full height, change my voice to a gruff baritone, and reply in song, like Big B in that iconic film- “My name is Anthony Gonsalves!”