As a person, Abhishek is very warmhearted. He's extremely upfront and clear about things in his head. This doesn't mean he's outspoken, but he certainly articulates his thoughts. He's very well spoken. We catch up whenever we can, and our friendship revolves around music, food and films.
We like all kinds of food, everything from paaya to pasta, and we keep exploring different places to eat out. In terms of music, there's all kinds of stuff, from modern acoustic to urban hip-hop, hindi music to Tamil, something he has exposed me to. There's an amazing range of tastes in our collection.
In terms of an actor-director dynamic, it is a very comfortable relationship. We are very clear about what we want to do, and that helps us incorporate any improvisation on the sets. He makes sure there's a relaxed atmosphere on the sets. Everyone is bound to feel at home if the lead actor is helping them out. There's a lot of stress while shooting, so it's nice to have him come through and keep everyone relaxed. He's very comfortable improvising, and a lot of what we end up with is totally unplanned, but that has to be with the right actors, who understand the situation.
He is definitely a prankster on the sets, and is often fooling around. But I think that's mostly to keep the mood on the sets light. And to make sure he himself doesn't get too tightly wound up. So there is a practical side to his pranks and mayhem. He is actually a very reserved person. By which I mean he is someone who isn't loud or obnoxious. Coming from a family like he does, it's no surprise that he's a very dignified person, and he's also very laidback. He doesn't feel the need to project himself as anything or be louder. He's happy to step back. As a person and an actor, he's very secure in himself.
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As an actor, I think he has just started to get going. There's a lot more for him to do. He's only just beginning to move into high gear. He should keep going. He has worked with top directors like Mani Ratnam, I think he understands that himself. He's doing his own thing.
An actor or a star... These labels go hand in hand. As he gets more success at the box office, it will give him more independence to do the projects he wants. I don't think he's consciously assigning more importance to either critics or the box office. He's just doing his own thing. He genuinely enjoys getting up in the morning and going to work.
A dream birthday gift for Abhishek would be an iPod with all of the world's music in it. Every song ever. But in the size of a Nano.
Bluffmaster director Rohan Sippy and Abhishek Bachchan are extremely close friends.