Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan's son has come into his own. His recent bravura performances in Yuva, Phir Milenge and Dhoom have given a new lease to an acting career that had almost slid into doomsville. SHRADDHA JAHAGIRDAR-SAXENA catches up with Abhishek Bachchan on a Mumbai rooftop and discovers that AB's baby is finally taking big steps out of his father's shadow

Date: October 11, 2003.

Venue: The lobby of a suburban five-star hotel in Mumbai.

Occasion: The 'Shahenshah' of Hindi cinema turning 61, his newly-minted venture, AB Corp Ltd, launches Ranveer - the first film co-starring Amitabh with son, Abhishek.

The lights dim in the well-appointed lobby. A cloth banner obscures the curved staircase that leads down to the enclave below. As Amitabh's familiar baritone rolls out from the loudspeakers, two tall figures appear on the landing and stroll down, in perfect unison. The father and son embrace in an open display of affection and the glittering gathering bursts into a storm of applause.

Date: October 6, 2004. Almost a year later.

Venue: Yet another suburban, five-star hotel, in Mumbai.

Occasion: A noon rendezvous with Abhishek Bachchan.

The hot sun scalds our glistening foreheads. We remain oblivious to its glare, caught up as we are in Abhishek's impromptu act - literally on the edge. Completely at ease in front of the photographer's lens - despite countless protestations - 'Don't make me do all this, I'm terrible at posing for pictures' - Abhishek does a little waltz on the rooftop.

The industry did not intrude into the Bachchan stronghold though. "My sister, Shweta and I did not interact regularly with actors," Abhishek recalls. "Mom had stopped working by the time I was born and except for a one-off film like Silsila, did not face the camera again till much later. And, believe it or not, Dad never brought work home. The first time I saw Dad with make-up on was when I was 18.… We have lived a completely normal, disciplined life. We still have a rule - if all of us are in town we must have at least one meal together every day."

The child is the father of the man and in the courteous strapping youth of today one can detect glimpses of the boy he must have been. Admitting that he never rebelled against his parents' diktats, Abhishek hardly gave them cause for concern. "Dad was dad first and Amitabh Bachchan next," says the son. "He has never shouted at us, ranted or raised his hand. My mother did whack me a few times though. I was once seeing Mili with Shweta. She was crying, while I was grinning away. Mom walked in, thought I had done something to her and hit me!"

Abhishek wears the Bachchan badge of honour with pride for he has imbibed all his values from 'my parents and grandparents' - loyalty, integrity…and, of course, the family's predisposition to acting. "Shweta is the most talented actor in the family," Abhishek insists. His first exposure to a 'public' was on a school stage where he reveals, quite shyly, "I played a daisy. It is most embarrassing to tell people that my first role was that of a flower."