BACHCHAN BACK TO BEGINNING
DAY 1
DEEWAR
Yesterday I saw Deewar on day one of the Amitabh Bachchan Back to Beginning film festival.
MEMORIES
I remember seeing Deewar for the first time in its Golden Jubilee Week in Kanpur.
26th January 1976.
Earlier we missed the opportunity during 1975.
My tryst with Amitabh Bachchan started with Roti Kapda Aur Makaan and then later saw his earlier films in reruns.
I remember the impact Deewar had on me. After the movie we went shopping and I insisted on buying a shirt larger than my size then so I could tie a knot to it. My parents were not amused but allowed it.
Exactly a year later in January 1977 we had gone to see
Imaan Dharam, but it was House Full (Yes it has a great start but it fizzled out subsequently). In a theatre nearby Deewar had been re-released and we saw it a second time.
After that we shifted to Pune and I used to see the movie whenever it was released in Morning shows or otherwise.
I last remember seeing it twice in Amravati at Prabhat Theatre in 1984-85 where it had released as a stop gap arrangement.
That was the 25th and 26th time I saw this classic.
Since then I regularly watch it on the small screen and also have a DVD of the same.
Yesterday thanks to this festival I saw it a 27th time.
What an experience..
The Ceetees..the Dialogues being recited by the excited and enthusiastic public.
मैं आज भी फेंके हुए पैसे नहीं उठाता
मैं यहां तुम्हारा इंतजार कर रहा हूं
ये सड़क क्या पीटर के बाप की है?
etc etc
The awe at which the new current generation was seeing this classic was a stupendous experience.
Looking ahead to the other films to be seen over the next 3 days till his birthday on 11th.
I will pen similar memoirs of all the selected films.
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