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Actor-producer Jamnadas ‘JD’ Majethia recalled his old association with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, and narrated a story about the kindness and support that the superstar showed him several years ago. JD was just starting out as a film actor, and had starred as the lead in a Gujarati movie Dariya Chhoru directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. He said that he repeatedly requested Amitabh to watch the film, and recalled what happened next.
Chatting with Radio Nasha, JD was asked if it’s true that he’s the reason for Amitabh Bachchan’s collaborations with Vipul Shah, and he said that he is, in a way. He recalled, “We all felt that the movie deserved a good promotional push. And I was from ABCL. A few years before that, I was going to be launched by ABCL. When Dariya Chhoru was done, I decided to speak with Amit ji once. I spoke to his secretary, and she arranged for a call. ‘Haan bhai JD, main Amitabh Bachchan bol raha hoon‘, that’s what he said on the phone, and for a moment, I was speechless.”
Amitabh asked JD to come meet him at Mehboob Studio, where he was shooting at the time. There, JD gave a 20-minute spiel while Amitabh listened silently. He asked the megastar if he’d be open to watching Dariya Chhoru, even if it’s just for 20 or 30 minutes. “I even told him that I was born on the same date as Abhishek, and that I’m also like his son. I have no idea what all I said to him. I didn’t want to take no for an answer. Poor man, how I must have tortured him,” JD said sheepishly. But eventually, Amitabh agreed.
But there was an unexpected issue that he had to deal with next. Because of some miscommunication, the film’s producer booked the screening at a venue in Town, several kilometres away from the Bachchans’ Juhu home. JD made yet another request to Amitabh and Jaya, and told them what had happened. He was prepared for them to say that they cannot make it, but to his surprise, they agreed. “We welcomed them, and they took their seats. Just before the interval, I had a great scene. And all I was hoping for the entire time is that they don’t get up before the interval. The standing instructions were, whenever Amit and Jaya ji get up, the interval begins. They watched the entire thing. When the actual interval happened, they were surrounded by the media, who wanted bytes. Amit ji said in his trademark manner, ‘Arey bhai, abhi toh interval hua hai, nashta toh karne do, puri picture to dekhne do‘.”
To JD’s surprise, Amitabh watched the entire movie, and at the end, told him that he could attribute any quote to him in the press because he liked the movie so much. Amitabh was so impressed with the movie that he asked to meet the director, who happened to be a young Vipul Shah. They went on to collaborate on films such as Aankhen and Waqt: The Race Against Time. JD went on to work as a writer and producer on hit television shows such as Khichdi and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. In the same interview, he also recalled a similar story about getting Shah Rukh Khan to promote Khichdi: The Movie in 2010.
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