Amitabh Bachchan recalls his father’s advice to him after he got ‘black eye, bleeding nose’ in school boxing match

Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan recalled his late father Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s message to him, when he got a ‘black eye and a bleeding nose’ in school. Taking to his blog, Amitabh wrote that when he was in class 4 or 5 he took part in a boxing match and got hurt, following which he penned a letter to his father. Instead of a letter, Harivansh sent a book, from Cambridge in 1953, with his message written on it. The actor said that recently his wife-actor Jaya Bachchan came across his father’s book in their library. (Also Read | Amitabh Bachchan jokes he’s been ‘arrested’ after no-helmet pics)

Amitabh wrote, “Yes and the fascination gets justified when in the library storing Babuji’s (father Harivansh Rai Bachchan) books, you quite by chance come across one that has been signed and dedicated to you, with a short message …One such, came across to me by the wife… a bit moth eaten but still in some legible condition .. marked to me from Cambridge in 1953, during his study there for his thesis ..A habit I never forget and pursue to date… with the hope that some day the next generation, if it still shows interest in reading books and not internets, shall be chuffed at coming across one such roster, with some glee…”

He also wrote, “In BHS, Allahabad – the Boys’ High School – in the year 1953 -54, when I was in the 4th or 5th standard, and Babuji was in England for his studies, I wrote to him that I had entered the Boxing ring in School, to enhance the Cock House points of my House, the Blue House .. and that after one successful bout, had got defeated in the next one .. and that my physical condition against a stronger opponent had given me a black eye and a bleeding nose.”

“Some several days later – several, because parcels and letters came by boat then – a book arrived for me… on boxing… and inside on the first page was his signature, the date of purchase and destination and a quote from him: ‘Good hard blows are delights to the mind’!!!” he added.

“On a visit to St Catharine’s College, Cambridge during a shooting stint in England around the early 2000′s to see the College Information manual, and seek Babuji’s name, I was, on coming to know I was there, accosted by the Faculty Members of the College and invited over for a cup of tea and a chat .. and I narrated this incident to them… It was the heartiest laughter I had ever witnessed from a Britisher… they are a bit reserved , aren’t they… But… I discovered that tales of a fight, any fight, seem to attract their attention rather more prominently than fish and chips!!” concluded his note.

Fans will see Amitabh in Project K, which also stars Deepika Padukone and Prabhas. Helmed by Nag Ashwin, Project K is a bilingual film shot simultaneously in two languages – Hindi and Telugu. He will also be seen in Ribhu Dasgupta’s next courtroom drama film Section 84.