A rare sight this: Abhishek Bachchan in a goofy mood, laughing, joking and generally taking everyone for a trip.In town for the anniversary of a luxury product at the Emporio mall, the dude answered every single question, and not one ‘no comments’. Someone wanted his autograph, and thrust a scrap of paper into his hands. “For my daughter, please, she’s crazy about you,” said the lady. “I appreciate, but I’d still need a pen,” said Abhi, with a very straight face, while the lady blushed. Tell us about the French connection in Pa, one journo wanted to know. “French connection? The film is being directed by Balki, and I must say, so far he’s an Indian. So, no French connection, ma’am,” shot back Abhi.
But perhaps no one realised, even then, that Abhishek Bachchan was in a decidedly un-Bachchan mood. Someone asked him to ask a question to Lata Mangeshkar, for some TV programme. “Are you crazy? What would I ask her?” he asked. “Can’t ask her age, that would be improper, wouldn’t it?” he added, his eyes glinting with mischief.
Seemed like no one could quite handle the usually monosyllabic, sulking AB Jr in this mood. Poochhna tha if he’s playing AB Sr’s father in Pa and ended up asking, ‘Are you playing your father’s son in Pa?’ Abhi pounced on the mistake. “Playing my father’s son? I am my father’s son. Would you believe it?” he asked loudly to nobody in particular. “I am my father’s son.” That quite ended the Q&A session, and Abhi then mingled about.
Conversation veered towards his films, his losing and putting on weight, working with Aishwarya, and doing photoshoots with sis Shweta Nanda... “Aishwarya is my wife, and Shweta my elder sister first and foremost. Nothing is going to change that. They both pamper me silly. And as for putting on and losing weight, it’s a very tough task. It might sound fun, but it’s not. It is very demanding on the body.”
And the Cannes veteran that he is now, has he quite mastered the art of walking the Red Carpet? “We go there for work. Yes, it is seen as being very glamorous and prestigious, but at the end of the day, it is work for us. The Cannes festival is one of the biggest movie markets in the world. We go there to sell our films, it is a fantastic platform. The whole world comes there to buy and sell films,” says Abhi. And what about the tiny spark of controversy? “What controversy?” he asks, fidgeting with his ring a bit – which, by the way, is a habit of Abhi’s. He keeps playing with his ring every now and then. Oh, those reports of him ‘chatting and discussing’ with and enjoying the company of German supermodel and Playboy playmate Claudia Ciesla at the Indian Pavilion at Cannes? “If all this helps her, it’s great. Best of luck to her,” says Abhi, and adds firmly, “But I don’t know the lady. Never met her.”