‘My Name on the Screen is Enough’: Amitabh Bachchan’s Advice to Apoorva Lakhia
Director Apoorva Lakhia recently recalled an interesting incident while working with Amitabh Bachchan, describing how nervous he felt during their collaboration. While shooting a scene in Bangkok, Amitabh reminded him that as long as his face was in the frame, whatever happened in the background was irrelevant.
In an interview with Friday Talkies, Lakhia shared that they were filming a movie, possibly his debut project. During the shoot, he noticed that Amitabh Bachchan never retreated to his vanity van between takes but instead sat outside, closely observing everything. This made Lakhia anxious, wondering what the legendary actor was thinking and analyzing. “It was quite intimidating,” he admitted.
Recalling a specific scene from Bangkok, Lakhia said, “While we were filming, a man suddenly ran across the background. I immediately told Amitabh sir that we needed to reshoot the scene. He asked why, and when I explained, he simply said, ‘Alright.’”
After the shoot, Amitabh approached Lakhia and asked, “What lens are you using?” Lakhia responded, “100mm.” Amitabh then smiled and explained, “Now think about it—you’re watching a film in Chandan (a theatre), the screen is 70mm, and Amitabh Bachchan is on a 100mm lens. Do you really think anyone in the audience will notice who ran in the background? Does it even matter?”
This simple yet profound insight from Amitabh Bachchan highlighted his deep understanding of cinema and his unwavering confidence in his screen presence.
