Bollywood boulevard

The most interesting bit of information in Bollywood this week concerns the big man himself, Amitabh Bachchan. The mega-star has signed up for Kaizad Gustad8217;s black comedy Boom, about three supermodels who8217;ve looted a wad of moolah on instructions from the underworld.

Celebrated, not without reason, as one of the country8217;s finest actors, Bachchan has created an enviable body of work out of featuring in hardcore masala potboilers. Interestingly enough, this will be his first appearance in an offbeat Hinglish film. And the announcement couldn8217;t have come at a better time8230;

In last week8217;s Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, Bachchan disappointed die-hard fans with a lacklustre performance as a goofy doctor who8217;s trying to keep an underworld don away from his pretty sister. Clearly, the actor was not in his element, and although in normal circumstances you might not have blamed an actor who8217;s been burdened with such an unimaginative role, you cannot but wonder why an actor of AB8217;s calibre was unable to pump life into that cardboard character. Let8217;s not forget, he8217;s an actor who8217;s salvaged many a boring film in the past.

Like his confrontation scenes with Shah Rukh Khan in Mohabbatein 8212; easily the only interesting portions in that strictly mediocre film. Or his outburst scene in Ek Rishtaa 8212; the saving grace in a film that was entirely unwatchable.

Why Bachchan chooses to work in films like Mohabbatein, Ek Rishtaa and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham will remain a mystery. Neither of these films 8212; their box-office success notwithstanding 8212; did any justice whatsoever to his abundant talent. He complains that nobody writes any interesting parts for older actors. He says he has no choice but to play 8216;8216;senior citizen8217;8217; roles. Not true.

Although Aks was no spectacular effort, it definitely had more to offer than Mohabbatein. And Bachchan in grey shades is much more interesting than Bachchan playing a stubborn father. Even in Aankhen, where he played a mostly negative role, he shone.

Ideally, he could step into the roles they write for Sean Connery in Hollywood. How cool it would be to see him do something like Entrapment with sexy Sushmita Sen in the Catherine Zeta-Jones part. But please can we have a director like Ramgopal Varma or Rakesh Mehra directing him in that? And if Mr B is itching to play comic roles, let8217;s see him do a Robert De Niro in a film like Meet The Parents. Or something like Warren Beatty8217;s role in Bulworth8230;

Closer home, let8217;s see Sanjay Leela Bhansali direct him in Kabuliwala, or Vidhu Vinod Chopra in something quirky, but intense. Enough done with David Dhawan and Aditya Chopra. Please, no more Hum Kisise Dumb Nahin!