Well 'Versed' Bachchan Buoys Indo-Pak Ties..

Fawning appreciation has never been in deficit. And now, Amitabh Bachchan will earn a few more truckloads of acclaim as he readies to recite five to six poems penned by his late illustrious father: Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan at the 'Aman Ki Asha' event, an initiative to promote Indo-Pak relations.

This, incidentally, will revive a déjà vu feeling. In March 1998, Dr Bachchan propped up in the ICU of a top drawer Mumbai hospital, rued the fact that he couldn't listen to his poems being recited by Amitabh before a distinguished audience at the British Council.

On his return, his son complied with his wishes and recited those poems in his rich, unmistakable baritone, even as amazed doctors and stunned nurses listened in rapt attention. At the end of it all, Dr Bachchan nodded his hearty assent. And a supremely pleased Big B couldn't have asked for more…

The Paki counterpart to Bachchan at the 'Aman Ki Asha' initiative will be Paki screen legend Zia Mohyeddin who will read out Urdu poems by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Two much!

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