‘Being honoured with a ‘gold medal’ by mega-star Amitabh Bachchan was a crowning validation for me’: Senior Journalist Chaitanya Padukone

By Chaitanya Padukone

Today, (Oct 11th) Bollywood mega-star Amitabh Bachchan has turned 79 years ‘young’! That’s because his ‘youthful’ exuberance and indefatigable stamina is an enviable benchmark possibly for those youngsters who get fagged out very fast. For me, Amitabh-Sir with his charismatic aura has always been an inspiring-icon of  perfection. In terms of his success-story, diligent dedication,  his resilience, his punctuality, his passion for re-inventing himself time and again, his super-stardom and his amazing ability to remain unassuming and accessible. From ‘Saat Hindustani’ to ‘Sholay’, from ‘Zanjeer’ to ‘Piku’, from ‘Deewar to ‘Aakhri Raasta’  and from ‘Black’ to ‘102 Not Out’, enthusiastic Bachchan-saab has dared to defy his conventional screen-image and prove that he is a versatile super-star actor ‘par excellence.

Amitabh Bachchan honours Chaitanya with ‘K A Abbas Memorial’ Gold Medal’ for film journalism

In my dynamic film-journalistic career, over the past three decades, the Big B has been a super-catalyst motivator. Many years ago, Amitabh-jee personally attended a felicitation event at Bandra, where on the stage he honored me with the prestigious K.A. Abbas Memorial Gold Medal and Trophy for ‘excellence in film journalism’.

Chaitanya P honoured by superstar Amitabh B with award-trophy

Later, he  briefly addressed the invited audience which included his actor-son Abhishek Bachchan, Raveena Tandon, singer Mahendra Kapoor  besides a galaxy of  other dignitaries.  It was certainly a ‘crowning glory’ and overwhelming validation for me,  to be honoured by iconic Amitabh –jee with a ‘gold medal’  which in turn was commemorating his acting-career mentor— acclaimed writer-director K.A. Abbas.

Amitabh B chats with Sr. Film Journalist Chaitanya Padukone

Also read: “If I failed in politics, the reason is I did not have the potential”, Amitabh Bachchan tells Jyothi Venkatesh

Years later, when I authored my first memoirs book ‘R D BurMania’, the erudite music-savvy singer-actor Amitabh-jee penned the curtain-raiser opening brief piece for my book. So gracious was benevolent Bachchan-saab,  that he also prominently posted the front-cover of my book ‘R D BurMania’ on his Twitter ( Tweet no: 2300 ) and also on his Facebook  with his encouraging priceless comments describing the book as a ‘well-deserved’ tribute to the innovative-genius composer-singer R D Burman.

Amitabh B on KBC sets with the media-Chaitanya P–sitting extreme right

It was a speechless yet emotionally humbling moment of validation for me. From a supreme actor, a great human being.  From the ‘super-man-of-the-masses’ who as the exuberant, witty TV show-host is the ‘Mahaan-Maseeha-catalyst’ for thousands of KBC (Sony TV)  smart quiz-contestants emerging lakh-patis and crore-patis  during each season.

Chaitanya Padukone with Amitabh Bachchan

We wish iconic Birthday-Boy Amitabh Bachchan-saab a long, active, healthy, cheerful  life studded with more glorious success all the way ahead.