A closer look at Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan with Deepak Sawant (right)

Make-up artiste Deepak Sawant has probably worked with Amitabh Bachchan the longest, at 30 years. They have worked together since "Zanjeer" catapulted Bachchan to fame in 1973.

On November 7, the superstar completes 40 years in the Bollywood film industry, and on the occasion Sawant recounted his experiences of working with Bachchan.

"I first met Amitji on the sets of "Raaste Ka Patthar" (1972). The film starred Shatrughan Sinha and Amitabh Bachchan. Shatrughan was a big actor then. Due to some problem, Shatrughan got a personal make-up artiste for the film but Amitji did not. So I was asked to be his make-up artiste for the film.

"He made me his personal make-up artiste after two years," Sawant reminisces.

"I wanted to work with Amitji because he was good-natured and dedicated. He would always sit in a corner on the sets and rehearse his dialogues. He would not interfere in other people's work. Some thought that even though he is a new actor, he was arrogant and did not mingle with others. But that was not the case. He just wanted to be better. He took everything as a challenge.

"After 30 years with him, he is still the same. Today's actors don't rehearse as much.

"Due to a misunderstanding between us, I was not working with Amitji for four years. During the shoot of 'Jadugar' (1989), Amitji faced some problem with his beard. The beard was made of synthetic hair and every time you touched it, it would get entangled. That's when Amitji called me to sort out the problem, and we decided to work together again. Since then I have worked with him regularly. I have not even taken a day off. When Amitji takes a day off, that's my off day as well," Sawant says.

"In all these years, Amitji never neglected his work. Even during times of personal crisis, he would shoot as though nothing happened. He would be totally engrossed in his work.

"I remember one particular incident while shooting for 'Sholay' (1975). I was relatively new in the field; Saroj Modi was the film's chief make-up artiste. In one scene, a bullet was supposed to have brushed Amitji's hand, and (director) Ramesh Sippy wanted the make-up accordingly. Saroj Modi had brought the make-up material from London. But Amitji asked me to try it first. I was very nervous but I brought some red colour and cotton and did the make-up. When Jayaji (Bachchan) entered the room, she thought it was real blood oozing from Amitji's hand and she screamed. Everyone liked the make-up. But the shot was cut in the final editing. I liked Amitji's faith in me.

"When he took a hiatus for three years when his films like 'Insayinat' and 'Indrajeet' did not do well, I did not work. I could not join another actor; that was loyalty on my part.

"Today, Amitji is 67 and still, he continues to work with utmost devotion."

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent