Amitabh Bachchan Reflects on the Legacy of Bunty Aur Babli and Its Iconic Music Video
Amitabh Bachchan's Nostalgic Journey with Bunty Aur Babli
Amitabh Bachchan recently filmed a music video to promote Shaad Ali's film, Bunty Aur Babli.
He reminisced, stating, “The visuals for the rap track ‘B & B’ from Bunty Aur Babli were vibrant and youthful. The trend of incorporating music videos or item songs into the opening or closing credits started with Yashraj Films' Dhoom. I had a great time shooting it.”
The choreography was handled by Shiamak Davar, who, despite being abroad, provided detailed instructions remotely. “We had no trouble following his choreography. I recall Shah Rukh Khan watched it five times. I also performed a Qawwali, 'Kajra Re,' alongside Abhishek and Aishwarya. We never anticipated it would become such a phenomenon,” he added.
Bachchan is no stranger to music videos; in the 1980s, he created a music video for his classic song 'Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein' featuring actress Shobana from Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema.
He remarked, “These were just fun diversions. Honestly, I feel too old for dance numbers. That perception arose from the music video for Bunty Aur Babli, where I performed a rap. But I’m not a deity or a cool guy; I’m Amitabh Bachchan. The response to the music video surprised me. It was a brilliant idea from Aditya Chopra, who suggested it for the film's promotion. It was daunting, but I managed to pull it off.”
Regarding his director Shaad Ali, Bachchan described him as “a very kind and compassionate person, which reflects in his work. His films possess a unique attitude and sensibility. Observing his work, one can see that his aesthetic values stem from his upbringing in Uttar Pradesh. Bunty Aur Babli had a lot of intentional kitsch, yet nothing felt out of place. Our cinema often focuses on the aspirations of urban characters, so it’s refreshing to explore the dreams of small-town individuals in such a colorful and romantic way! The visuals in Bunty Aur Babli were incredibly fresh and appealing. Shaad paid homage to the cinema of the 1960s and 70s.”