A Letter from a DieHard Fan of BigB to Shoojit Sircar

Dear Shoojit Da,

At the outset let me state categorically that I am a Huge Big B Fan but after seeing Pink and Piku I must admit that I have become your fan as well. I have no qualms to state that I am a Indian by birth and a Bengali by heart. I have spent all my childhood days in Kolkata, studied in Don Bosco, Park Circus and so you can call me Kolkataar Chelay.

The reason for writing to you is actually based on your tribute to Big B in your Article in TOI. I wholeheartedly endorse each word that you have written. You have worked with the legend and therefore there is authority in each word, and as factual as it can get. In my early formation years I have been much enamoured by him. I tried to walk and talk like him. In fact I have broken my throat hoarse multiple times just to get closer to that baritone voice of his. Thanks to Dr. Ghosh and his throat relievers I could get back to my own voice. Dr. Ghosh on seeing me itself would state " Kee Karthik Aabar Tomaar Omitabher Nokol aarombo koray dhilay?" Despite several warnings from my parents to stop, the craze would continue unabated.

Come Diwali the craze for Big B would reach new crescendos. I would want my father to buy that black metal toy gun from the cracker shop. Father and son would go all the way to the shop in Lake Market in Kolkata to fulfil my fancy. From thereon I would imagine myself to be a totally transformed personality. Gun in my left hand, I would become Inspector Vijay shooting down all the baddies in town.

Basusree, Menoka, and Priya cinema halls in Kokata were always our favorite family haunts. If it was a Big B movie I would always insist that my parents take me for the first day, first show. When it came to pampering my parents they have never ever disappointed me. For me as a child there was nothing that BigB could do wrong. He was and is like Superman to me. I have not missed even a single movie of his, obviously watching the first one Saat Hindustani quite later on in my life. Thus Zanjeer, Sholay, Yaarana, Deewar, Kalia, Mr. Natwarlal all became Me in different phases in my life. I had literally started hero worshipping him .

Then the unforgettable day arrived. The Day when Big B was seriously injured during the shooting of Coolie. I vividly remember the day. I was the one allocated the responsibility to climb down three floors of my apartment in Goriahat, early in the morning to go and fetch the newspaper for my father, the newspaper headline read(Telegraph was just launched) "Amitabh seriously injured on the sets of Coolie". That's it life became meaningless for me and I guess for millions of other fans across the country. In the absence of social media or TV channels other than DD, Telegraph became my sole companion over the next few weeks. Each day I would run down, praying as I did that my dearest hero would emerge unscathed from the jaws of death. Then one day the Unthinkable happened. The Headline in Telegraph read "Only God can save Amitabh". The world ended for me that moment, everything around me collapsed like a pack of cards, only hope being God. So i rushed back, a Twelve year pleading with the Gods to let his star live. I recall that it was 1982, August 31st my birthday when I got the best gift of my life, my Superman was blessed with one more life.

He is such an inspiration, first he battled for his life, then he battled through his initiatives in the corporate world, each time winning over new followers and silencing his critics. Slowly Hero worship moved to inspiration and Respect. I finally got to meet my hero in flesh and blood during the shooting of his movie Toofan in Chennai. It was like a dream had come true, from seeing him on screen to meeting him in person. Slowly life moved on and KBC happened. I had now become an adult but the craving and admiration continued. I would have dialled a few thousand times to get into the show and the much coveted hot seat. For me the reward or the wealth hardly mattered, it was a golden opportunity to come face to face with my hero, that in value is more than the crore of rupees that the show promised to the winner, my trials continue to this day.

I wish you well Shoojit Da, if you get a chance to speak to my Superman, do run this blog by him and the undying wish to talk to him once, just once. Tell him that a Tamilian from Chennai, a Bong by heart is waiting for the day. I look forward to the movies that you make in the future, Will there be a Piku returns, I know not, I loved the movie because it took me back to my city, Kolkata through the eyes of the ever constipating Bhashkor Da. Last but not the least keep the love and passion for football on, the Header last year was scintillating. Please do not forget to pass on my best wishes to my 75 years young Superman.