Amitabh Bachchan explained why he took Nag Ashwin’s permission to use restroom during Kalki 2898 AD shoot: ‘I’m the servant that’s been employed’

In Kalki 2898 AD, Amitabh Bachchan plays Ashwatthama and has been receiving tremendous acclaim for his act in the blockbuster, which has grossed over Rs 1,000 cr globally.

Amitabh Bachchan is currently seen in Kalki 2898 AD. (Photo: Preetisheel Singh/Instagram, Amitabh Bachchan blog)

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan doesn’t understand why him seeking permission to use the restroom during the shoot of the sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD has led to a “hullabaloo” of his humbleness, which, he feels, is him merely being a sincere actor hired to do his job. Bachchan, who has been working for over 50 years, says on set he is a “servant” while the director is the “captain”.

Taking to his blog, Bachchan, however, offered his perspective, writing that his act of following set protocols shouldn’t be celebrated as a great act of humbleness. The actor stated with an example how a family friend of his recalled that he had picked up a piece of dirt from the floors while he was filming the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). “I happened to pick up a piece of dirt that was on the floor of the set , and not beckoned an assistant or the floor manager to do it .. BUT .. I mean .. what is so great in that .. you see something which needs to cleaned, you pick it up rather than gear up an entire work force of the establishment to clean it up . Ugguff ! it nothing .. but such a fuss made of it ..

He then spoke about Kalki 2898 AD and how Nag Ashwin spoke about him seeking permission to go the washroom. “It is not being humble of setting example .. it’s just an act of extreme normality .. and the hullabaloo is deafening ..And the director saying it was one hellava thing that I asked him permission to go to the washroom during the shoot ..Yes I do need to take permission .. it is his set, his time , he is the Captain, I am the servant that has been employed, if I need to go for nature’s call , I must seek his permission!!!”: Bachchan wrote.

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Specifying the practical reason behind it, Bachchan noted that the filmmaker may have required him to be present on set for last-minute checks and he was cognizant of his presence. “He may have designed a shot that needed to be taken ‘pronto’ .. he may have needed me to stand in for the lighting to be done .. he may have wanted me to rehearse the shot with my colleagues or just me .. A lot of things happen when the Captain is in charge .. so I need to take his permission to leave the set…

“It was he that called me to the set, when it was ready for the shot, it was he that wanted me to work in his film, I have to obey his word and dictat .. and I did just that .. so what is all the fuss about.”

Previously, while talking about working with the screen icon, Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin had recalled how he was “completely taken aback” when during the film’s first schedule, Bachchan asked for permission to use the washroom. “I think we were shooting, and were delayed. We were trying to catch up and he came up to me and I was trying to make an excuse to him about the delay and he’s like, ‘Can I just use the restroom and come?’ I said, ‘Why are you asking me, sir, you can do whatever you want.’ So he’s just he’s just that great,” the filmmaker had told India Today.

In Kalki 2898 AD, Bachchan plays Ashwatthama and has been receiving tremendous acclaim for his act in the blockbuster, which has grossed over Rs 1,000 cr globally.

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Earlier, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi Government, civic bodies, and authorities of Noida, Gurgaon, and Ghaziabad to pick up stray dogs and move them to shelters. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)

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The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on the interim prayer seeking a stay on August 11 order of picking up strays from streets in Delhi NCR. The case was heard by a three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria.

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