It was a tense Sunday at Jalsa, the Mumbai residence of Amitabh Bachchan. A middle-aged fan is said to have passed out after putting in hours in the sun. You can see in the videos making the rounds online as people rush to his aid, and it has the whole internet talking again about how to rein in the hundreds who come for his weekly meet-and-greet.
What happened on the 24th has had admirers voicing their unease. They like the way things are done, but they’re also looking out for one another. When the numbers get up and the mercury is high, you can see in a moment like this where devotion runs the risk of turning hazardous.
What unfolded outside Jalsa
Some footage from a paparazzi on Instagram has the fan going down on the road in front of Jalsa as the crowd was moving in. A few folks were on him in a second, holding him up by the side of the street and making room. As for how he is, there’s no word from anyone in charge yet.
The videos and those who were there make a few things plain:
– He was on the ground outside Jalsa on May 24
– The fall came in the thick of it all
– People around him didn’t hesitate to step in
– We don’t have an official take on his state
Some have called it a near-stampede for a while before it calmed down. It’s enough to bring up the old questions: how do we make sure these well-liked appearances stay safe as well as open?
A tradition built on loyalty
You’ve had the Sunday darshan with Bachchan for as long as you can remember. For some it’s a rite of passage, for others a weekly trip. He puts some of it up on Tumblr and has been known to say he’s thankful for the ones who stand in line just to be waved at.
He let on a few days back that he’d had a word with his security to see everyone is looked after. On the 24th, there were the usual hundreds to be seen. It’s part of the deal: a little of a party, a bit of a community, and sometimes a test of logistics.
Fans, heat and the wait
They’ll come from out of town and be there hours before time to be in position by the gate. In this kind of weather, that kind of zeal can be hard on you, as we saw. For the home crowd it’s a nudge to be ready; for the ones in charge, to be a little more on top of it.
Why the moment drew extra attention
There was some talk earlier in the week of the actor being in Lilavati Hospital. He put a stop to the speculation with a post or two and, according to reports, is in good shape. That may have been why so many were out in force on Sunday.
So you had the good news on his health and then a brush with trouble in the crowd. Fans have been lauding the quick thinking of those who helped, and calling for sturdier barricades and easier access to water and medics next time.
What lies ahead for the megastar
As for the work, he’s coming back as Ashwatthama in the Kalki 2898 AD follow-up. With Prabhas and Kamal Haasan in the mix, the Nag Ashwin film is one to put on your list.
Then there is Section 84. Ribhu Dasgupta has put together a courtroom piece with him, Diana Penty, Nimrat Kaur and Abhishek Banerjee. It’s in the can, we just don’t know when it will hit screens.
But right now, it’s not so much about what’s coming out. It’s about doing the right thing. The affection is there, the custom will go on. All the fans want is for the magic to be there and for the precautions to be in place so you can head home happy.
