I won’t do films that embarrass Aaradhya: Abhishek Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan has been on a promotional spree for his upcoming film All Is Well. Talking about the film in Hyderabad, he says, “When Umesh narrated the script to me, it was an instant yes. His narrative style is so interesting that he layers everything with humour. He’s trying to put across a very poignant point.”

While Asin plays the female lead in the film, Rishi Kapoor plays Abhishek’s father. About his personal equation with Rishi Kapoor, he says, “I’ve known him as Chintu uncle all my life. But after this film, I think I can now call him my friend... and the credit goes to him. He gives us, his co-actors, the liberty and freedom to call him a friend. We’ve built that personal bond with each other during the film.”

Apart from films, kabaddi is what keeps Abhishek busy these days. His team Jaipur Pink Panthers has not been performing very well in the ongoing second season of Pro Kabaddi League.

Do the losses affect him personally? “I’d be inhuman if it didn’t. Whatever I do, I do it from the heart. I don’t demand victory from my team. It’s a difficult sport. We won the cup in the inaugural season and no one can take that away from us. It doesn’t mean that we have to rest on our past laurels. They are working hard, turning things around. I’m proud of them,” he says.

How involved is he with his team? “I’m immensely involved. I’m not a corporate so I run this team on my sweat and blood. They are like family to me. From what they eat to how they travel, I look after everything,” he says.

Abhishek also gets along famously with the other franchise owners of the league. “Srini (Telugu Titans co-owner) is doing a great job. He got the team from Vizag to Hyderabad this year. He’s constantly in touch with me. Everyone is here to promote kabaddi and that’s a very noble thing to do,” he says.

On his bond with Pro Kabaddi League director Anand Mahindra, Abhishek says, “Anand is a visionary. He’s the voice of reason and a great conversationalist. I look up to him and respect him a lot. He’s the beacon for all franchise owners in Pro Kabaddi League.”

Abhishek also admits that his four-year-old daughter Aaradhya too enjoys kabaddi. Has fatherhood changed his approach to films? “When you have children, everything in life changes. Your perspective in life is through them — from time management to the kind of work you do. At least for me, I would never want to do a film that I feel my daughter can’t see or a film she’s embarrassed to watch me in,” he says.

Abhishek might have been in Hyderabad for a day, but he has some fond memories of Hyderabad. And he says that he has lots of friends from Tollywood. “I’ve grown up admiring Nagarjuna and Venkatesh. They’ve been my parents’ friends and have always been warm and welcoming towards me. Sumanth is a very dear friend. I’m a huge fan of Chiranjeevi garu. Rana did his first Hindi film Dum Maro Dum with me. Since then, he’s been a good friend,” the actor says.

Having completed 15 years in the film industry now, Abhishek, however, has no plans of turning director. “I don’t know direction. If there comes a time when I want to make a film, I’d like to take time out and learn direction because there’s so much of technique involved that I know nothing about,” Abhishek says.