In a blog post, the 83-year-old actor said he was overwhelmed by the affection shown through calls, messages and greetings. “I must most humbly accept the most gracious and kind words expressed on the phone and through gestures at the GOJ. It shall be very difficult to reply each one personally, so I put it here for all. Your kindness has no bounds and the affection that follows is simply insurmountable!!” he wrote.
Continuing in Hindi, he reflected on the significance of the date: “2 August ki baatein... bahut kam logon ko iska gyaan hai, par jitnon ne bhi likh kar apni shubhkaamnayein bheji hain, main hriday se apna aabhaar vyakt karta hoon. Kyunki ye aap sab ki prarthnaayein thi, jis se sambhav hua ki aaj main aap sab se is maadhyam ke dwaara, apna aabhaar prakat kar sakoon.”
(Very few people know the significance of August 2, but I sincerely thank everyone who sent me their wishes. It was your prayers that made it possible for me to express my gratitude to all of you through this medium today.)
He added that time is powerful and that the present moment has been made possible by those prayers. Noting that the first day of recording for Kaun Banega Crorepati was scheduled for the following day, he said he was leaving to take on another challenge with the blessings and affection of his well-wishers.
Earlier on Sunday, hundreds of fans gathered outside Bachchan’s Mumbai residence, Jalsa, for his weekly greeting. Many carried flower garlands, bouquets, handwritten letters and greeting cards to mark the day.
The date’s significance traces back to 1982, when Bachchan suffered a near-fatal injury while shooting an action sequence for Manmohan Desai’s Coolie. During a fight scene with co-star Puneet Issar, he mistimed a jump and crashed into the edge of a table, suffering a serious abdominal injury and internal bleeding.
He underwent emergency surgeries and remained in critical condition for several days. Bachchan has recalled that he was clinically dead for a brief period before doctors revived him on August 2, a moment he has since regarded as his rebirth.
Millions of fans across the country offered prayers at temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras for his recovery. After months of treatment and rehabilitation, he returned to complete Coolie, which became one of the biggest hits of 1983.
Bachchan’s annual reflection on the date continues to underscore the enduring bond between the actor and the public that supported him through one of the most precarious chapters of his career.
