Filmmaker R Balki wrote a long letter to megastar Amitabh Bachchan on his birthday recently. Balki requested Bachchan to come back from his quiz show, Kaun Banega Crorepati and star in more movies.
In a letter to Bachchan published on ETimes, Balki wished the actor on his birthday which was on October 11 and then went to explain the reason behind speaking to him in public rather than sending a private message. “Because it's safer to talk to you in public than in private where you will call me a delusional fool or depending on your generosity something a little more dismissive,” Balki said.
The filmmaker, who has worked with Bachchan on Cheeni Kum (2007), Paa (2009) and Shamitabh (2015), spoke about watching the British historical-drama series, Downtown Abbey and a dialogue that struck with him. “There is a dialogue in it, 'Sometimes I feel the past is a more comfortable place than the future'. I know you hate to look back. You are all about looking forward to the new, the next day. But you are responsible for the state of cinema today so I have to make you squirm a bit,” Balki said.
He continued to speak about the rise to prominence of Bachchan through his towering screen presence in films. “You were responsible for the birth of the ultra-slow motion 90 frames per second hero though you hardly entered or walked in slow motion in your films. In fact, I can't even remember a 48-frame shot of yours, except maybe one glorious run here or there, in all your golden and platinum jubilee hits. (Maybe that's why I shot you walking towards Tabu in Cheeni Kum in 48 frames for fun)”
Balki added, “Now how do you expect the next generation or the younger ones in your gen, who aspired to be you, to be as thundering as you? Welcome to slow motion heroes. With every year the frame rate has increased. Today the average is 90 frames per second, cut to deafening music. Can't blame them. Blame you. You set the bar for a hero. You had some good lines yes, but because such lines are only half as effective from another mouth, a slow mo entry, turn, before and after delivery is a must to add punch to reach the heroism bar.”
The filmmaker then requested Bachchan to come back from KBC. “We need some 24-frame action on screen for a change. Your past is not just a comfortable place for us all to be in. It's an aspiration for the future. Funny how a tech savvy industry is trying every stunt in the book to match the power of a zoom, track, some ridiculous bell bottoms on a lanky poker-faced cool man.”
He ended the note by wishing the megastar again and said, “One day beyond box office figures we will be... Bigger than Bachchan.”
Meanwhile, on the work front, Bachchan was last seen in the Tamil film, Vettaiyan (2024). Balki’s last directorial was the Abhishek Bachchan starrer, Ghoomer (2023).
