Guddi is 54

Subhash K Jha

The Bachchan household is flooded with calls and bouquets.

On April 9, Jaya Bachchan turned 54.

However, Jaya is in no mood to celebrate. Her father-in-law, poet Harvanshrai Bachchan, has taken ill and has been shifted to a hospital.

Everyone at the Bachchan residence Jalsa is tense and the normally cool Jaya is no exception. She has just returned from Malaysia after having collected another trophy for her performance in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

The Bachchans' almost didn't attend the International Indian Film Academy Awards function when the senior Bachchan became unwell, even contemplated returning home on the morning of the event. But Harivanshrai Bachchan's condition stabilised. Jaya sounds tired, as says, bluntly, "It hasn’t been a happy time for us".

Jaya who gave up a successful career 30 years ago to be wife and mother says she is open to more acting offers. "But where are the roles? At my age they can only offer me mothers' parts. I don't want to do them unless they are off the beaten track. Before Kabhi Khushi... and Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche, Fiza was my last film. In fact in five years I did only Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa and Fiza. If you think about it that isn't such a bad ratio for an actress of my age if she isn't willing to play routine mother roles."

Speaking about reuniting professionally with hubby Amitabh Bachchan in K3G, 18 years after their last film together-Silsila Jaya says it was a wonderful experience. "Whether it was Zanjeer, Abhimaan or Silsila, Amit and I have always worked well together. There is a certain comfort level between us on the sets. We went for the K3G shootings separately because our timings were different. I was on the sets early morning. He was called later. In fact I was one of the first artistes to reach the sets since Mickey Contractor had to do Kajol, Rani [Mukherji] and Kareena's [Kapoor] makeup after me.

"After pack-up, Amit and I returned home together. Working with my husband was such a relief. I knew he would never try to steal my scenes like some costars do. Not that it has bothered me, ever. For me the film is always more important than my role."

Jaya is all praise for her director Karan Johar. "When he offered me K3G I couldn't dream of saying no to him. I have known Karan from the time he was a child. His father and mother, Yash and Hiroo Johar, are close family friends. I knew Karan would use me well in his film. I trusted Karan as much as I would trust Abhishek if he were to make a film with me. Do you know Karan’s mother and my husband were in school together?"

With her makeup done by the makeup whiz Mickey Contractor and clothes by designer Manish Malhotra, Jaya reminisces, "I drove Manish crazy. I grumbled throughout about what I had to wear."

"I also had a very interesting and important role in Vinay Shukla's Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche. Of course I play a mother. Isn't it really sad when there's no other answer to give? Just goes to show the limitations of our cinema."

Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche, also marked the launch of Dharmendra and Hema Malini's daughter. "I loved working with my colleague Hema Malini's daughter. You mark my word, Esha Deol is going to be a big star. She has the right attitude and given the right roles she will go very far."

With Raja Sen's Desh, Jaya returned to Bengali cinema."Abhishek played my son for a day. It was a good experience . I returned to Bengali cinema after 28 years. The last Bengali film I did was Yudhishtire Korcha directed by that brilliant actor Robi Roy."

Jaya enjoyed the experience of returning to her native language. "But my Bengali was rusty. It took me a day or two to rattle off my lines."

Jaya has never been the kind to crave for opportunities. At the height of her career in 1973 she voluntarily gave up acting to marry Amitabh Bachchan. Jaya demolishes the long-held myth that she was forced to abdicate her career. "At that point, my career had ceased to matter. Nothing gave me greater joy than looking after my home. Even after marriage my husband encouraged me to work with good directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Gulzar. In fact I did the former's Mili and Chupke Chupke after marriage. Today I wish my son had directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Gulzar to work with."

The very mention of Abhishek lights up Jaya's face: "You know, even when people said they hoped he wouldn't be like his father I felt they were secretly hoping to see Amitabh Bachchan in Abhishek. Thankfully, Abhishek has taken all the confusions and contradictions in his stride. I refuse to accept the opinion that he isn't focussed on his career or that he takes his roles lightly."

Jaya feels Abhishek will turn out to be the proverbial dark horse in the long run. She should know, considering she predicted big things for Jackie Shroff and Ajay Devgan.

Jaya is distressed by the kind of films being made. "Everyone is constantly striving to make a hit film. Today we only have the cinema of references, whether it is Ganga Jamuna, Deewaar, Mother India or Sholay. Else today's films are ripoffs from Hollywood and European cinema."